Clause 10
Welfare Reform Bill
9:10 am
Jeremy Hunt (Shadow Minister (the Disabled), Work & Pensions; South West Surrey, Conservative)
May I, too, welcome you back to the Chair, Mr. Amess? I look forward very much to serving under you as we discuss all the issues before us.
I want briefly to add to the comments made by the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander). When we discussed training earlier, the Under-Secretary gave us an assurance that people would be provided with all the training necessary to ensure that what is envisaged in the Bill happens. However, I wonder whether she could respond a little more fully on that issue, because there are widespread concerns among disabled people and the organisations that represent them about the level of training to be given to those who do the assessments and to Jobcentre Plus staff. I know that the Under-Secretary takes a great interest in this issue, so could she say a little more specifically about what training will be undertaken to ensure that people understand hidden disabilities? People with learning disabilities, for example, are concerned that those disabilities might not be understood because they are not visible.
There is widespread concern about these issues, and I know that the Department will have the right intentions, but with the greatest respect to Ministers, it has not always delivered to the highest standard. Will the Under-Secretary therefore give some reassurances in that respect?