Welfare Reform Bill

I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate: I particularly thank the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy, for her powerful speech. The Minister has moved an inch, but no further. I am worried that the phrase "domestic emergency", under which Jobcentre Plus advisers would have to look at this issue, could cover a burst water main or something like that. It does not quite reflect the real trauma which the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy, talked about of the impact on family life, the disruption to children’s lives, perhaps having to move to a refuge or to safe houses, with all the knock-on effects of later antisocial behaviour. This is in a completely different league from other kinds of domestic emergencies.