Clause 17 - Other interpretation provisions
State Pension Credit Bill [Lords]
7:00 pm
Ms Maria Eagle (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Minister for Disabled People), Department for Work and Pensions; Liverpool, Garston, Labour)
I will do what I can to reassure the hon. Gentleman in that respect.
Clause 17 is largely the interpretation provision. I shall not go through all the definitions, because we would be here all night if I did. In any case, I gather that there is not huge disquiet about them, or amendments galore would have been tabled. Subsection (1) defines the terms used in the Bill in a way that fits in with other legislation. Subsection (2) confers the power to prescribe in regulations the circumstances in which people are to be treated as members of the same household, or as severely disabled.
The hon. Gentleman asked about consultation and our intentions. We intend any regulations made under the powers to mirror those that currently apply to income support. Of course, there are the usual consultation procedures in respect of both matters; we always want to hear what people have to say.
Again, subsection (3) is technical. It ensures that this legislation ties in with the main body of social security legislation and does not float around on its
own. The clause is technical, but without it we would not be able to deal with the Bill. I hope that, on the basis of my remarks, hon. Members will agree that clause 17 should stand part of the Bill.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 17 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clauses 18 to 21 ordered to stand part of the Bill.