Clause 5 - Income and capital of claimant, spouse, etc
State Pension Credit Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere, Conservative)
What my hon. Friend says is helpful and lends strength to my contention that there is a need for the principles to be spelt out. It is all very well having examples, but we need to find out what other circumstances might be covered. It is more helpful to have the principles spelt out than to be given examples only. We are leaving those to be prescribed by regulations but, examining the final provisions of the Bill concerning regulation-making powers, I notice that the regulations made under the clause do not seem to be subject to the affirmative procedure, so we shall be left with the negative procedure for them. Against that background, it would help if the Minister could tell us something about that this morning so that we may debate it as fully as possible. We need to explore it.