Clause 9
Welfare Reform Bill
11:45 am
Jeremy Hunt (Shadow Minister (the Disabled), Work & Pensions; South West Surrey, Conservative)
The Minister will know that 10 per cent. of the 6 million carers are themselves disabled. If I understand his logic correctly, he is saying that personal advisers will be able to take account of that situation when considering whether to defer the requirement of work-related activity. Will he put himself in the shoes of a disabled person who, for example, cares for a disabled child? Simply deferring the obligation to participate in such activity is not adequate for someone in that situation. They simply do not have time to work, and it would be completely unrealistic to expect them to do so. Is there no possibility of greater flexibility so that in such a situation a person’s obligation to participate could be put on hold more permanently?