Welfare Reform Bill

If I may say so, that brings me back to the point that I made earlier. We need to find a way of making it clear that this is a non-contributory benefit for people who, sadly, will never be able to contribute towards a contributory benefit. This is a social benefit for very disadvantaged and disabled people—a very small group of such young people, who will never have a chance, almost certainly in the rest of their lives, of any sense of independence or dignity, unless we give it to them today at a cost of £10 million to the entire tax-paying population of this country. On that basis, I do need to test the opinion of the House. However, I respect the Minister’s position and hope we can have further discussions about how we can prevent benefits tourism, which is completely unacceptable. Division on Amendment 36A Contents 260; Not-Contents 216. Amendment 36A agreed. Moved by