Welfare Reform Bill

I thank the noble Baronesses, Lady Thomas and Lady Wilkins, and the noble Lords, Lord Skelmersdale and Lord Northbourne, for their support for the amendment. It is very important that we get this one right, because, for me, it is the definition of what we are about to do here. I am very pleased to hear the Minister say that it is something that he and the department will wish to look at quite deeply over the coming months before we come back, because I will come back to this one, because I feel so strongly that the overarching principles which will dictate how we take this policy forward are very important. I understand that an independent mechanism for appeal may have cost implications. However, I would like to be really reassured that there will be a clear and accessible way to appeal decisions that are made unfavourably when the disabled person wishes to take up a direct payment or have more control but does not find that they are getting it. We will need to look at those procedures again to ensure that they are clear. On Amendments 164 and 165, again, we cannot simply rely on regulations and duties to take forward this principle of the right to control. We know that local authorities can be quite lazy when it comes to their duty to implement regulations, duties and laws, and I want to ensure that in this Bill we have a clear indication of what a right to control is. Quite frankly, it will be difficult for some local authorities to get their heads around this because they have spent the past 100 years helping, doing good and caring for disabled people, and it is not easy to make that transformative step in their heads. I think that the wording has to change. I am easy about what words we use as long as they lead to the same place. I look forward to coming back to this issue on Report and to seeing what we come up with in the mean time. I thank the Minister and beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 164 withdrawn. Amendment 165 not moved. Clause 33 agreed. Clause 34 : Provision that may be made about direct payments Amendment 166 not moved.