Welfare Reform Bill

This is rather different. I may have got myself into a muddle thinking about the two rates of employment and support allowance. Amendments 45, 47, 48, 50 and 51 constitute quite a large group. It has been made clear several times—the illustrative examples that the noble Lord kindly sent, which the noble Baroness, Lady Thomas, described as panglossian the last time we met, confirmed this—that the requirements to undertake work-related activity are an unofficial contract between the personal adviser and the participant. Perhaps on reflection I should not have used the word "unofficial" since sanctions can apply for certain reasons. Indeed, I have noted from the Minister’s speeches that very often he thinks of sanctions first and the reason for them second, which is why I became a little exasperated the other day when I interrupted the noble Lord by repeating the word "No" several times. Nevertheless, the contract is what I might call person-specific, so although I am not particularly wedded to the word "individual" in this group of amendments, the action plan is individualised—a point made in several of the amendments tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Thomas. I am not sure that "individualised" is a particularly good word—"personalised" might be better. It would give a great deal of confidence to participants if the Bill were amended as the amendment suggests. I feel this particularly because all changes to social security laws are viewed with the greatest suspicion by those affected, or likely to be affected. The Minister cannot but be aware of the consternation of disabled people and their advisers that was expressed when discussing the first Welfare Reform Bill. None of us wants a repeat of that. I tabled the amendments to give a tiny bit of comfort to those who will be affected by the Bill, and I hope that the Minister will take his consideration of them in that particular light.