Welfare Reform Bill

The noble Baroness raises a very interesting point. As I said a moment ago, a positive test would not of itself drive an automatic conclusion that a rehabilitation plan is needed; it would simply be further evidence to support the questions that were raised initially about whether an assessment should be undertaken. But at the end of the day, if an individual will not engage with a drugs test or an assessment, these provisions cannot operate and the individual would remain on whatever benefit they are currently on—employment and support allowance or jobseeker’s allowance. As I said earlier, they could miss out, given the sanctions regime that applies to that course, as there is no strong mechanism to help them engage with the support that is available. The whole thrust of this is to try to get people through the door of treatment establishments. In a moment we shall discuss coercion. I think that the noble Baroness, Lady Murphy, referred to co-operative coercion. Why is that such a bad thing? Surely we would all wish to offer people the opportunity of treatment. It does not preclude a voluntary approach; there is no reason why that should not sit alongside.