UK Parliament / Open data

Child Poverty Bill

Proceeding contribution from Lord Freud (Conservative) in the House of Lords on Monday, 25 January 2010. It occurred during Debate on bills and Committee proceeding on Child Poverty Bill.
I realise I have to be politically correct in these matters. I was congratulating the Government on not subsidising a process of adjustment but allowing the market and the contracts between employers and employees to hold sway, albeit the employees took a hit. In practice, what happened economically was that instead of having another half-a-million people unemployed and fully dependent on the state, the misery was spread in that way. So, yes, I was congratulating the flinty heart of the Government on this occasion. That is what I was trying to do but I do not know whether they appreciated being congratulated on this. On the point about enterprise and self-employment, the Government have substantially downplayed self-employment as a solution for unemployment. I quoted a figure of 5,000 a year going down the self-employment route as compared with the figures for the end of the last recessions of nearly 100,000 a year. The noble Lord, Lord Martin, emphasised the point that, as a route out of unemployment, it is of great value. However, you need help. That is why I advertised our policy, which I knew the Committee would appreciate, of a mentoring process. You cannot expect people to do it on their own. That was why I wanted to push that particular aspect of supporting it. I am very grateful to the Minister for his response, although I am disappointed that he has not just automatically accepted the amendment. I cannot understand why he does not do that more often. On that basis, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 30 withdrawn.
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
716 c285-6GC 
Session
2009-10
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
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