Jeremy Hunt (Shadow Minister (the Disabled), Work & Pensions; South West Surrey, Conservative)

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

I shall be brief in an attempt to prove that the hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire was right to say that we are making excellent progress in the evenings. I am happy to mention his name for the record once again.

The new clause is probing. I wish to ask the Minister to reassure the Committee that when claimants are going through interviews and assessment conducted under part 1, they are notified of the purpose or purposes of the interview or assessment. The assessments will obviously be important, as they will determine the level of benefit and the level of conditionality attached to it. It is important that those who have learning disabilities, or a wide range of other disabilities, understand the purpose of those interviews or assessments.

I also ask the Minister to assure the Committee that those conducting the interviews or assessments are properly qualified. We have discussed that at length and we do not need to revert to it. Indeed, the Minister has already given some reassurance on that point. Likewise, he assured us in earlier debates that, as in paragraph (c), account should be taken of

“the circumstance in respect of which claimants fail to attend or complete an interview or assessment.”

On paragraph (a), I should be grateful if the Minister were to give the Committee an assurance that claimants should be notified of the purposes of their interview or assessment

Jim Murphy (Minister of State (Work), Department for Work and Pensions; Renfrewshire East, Labour)

I am happy to respond briefly to those three points. The hon. Gentleman rightly says that we have had similar conversations on clauses 8 and 10. I confirm, for the Committee’s delight, that the provisions of paragraph (a) are contained in page 6 of the draft regulations, which deals with safeguards before sanctions are imposed. The question of advising the customer at the point of claiming about the interview process is bullet point No. 1 on page 6 of the draft regulations. I hope that I have provided the reassurance that the hon. Gentleman seeks.

When possible, customers are contacted by telephone to explain the purpose of the interview or assessment, what to expect and what to do if they have a problem attending. We also write to all our customers, whether or not they have been contacted by phone. We intend to continue with that process under the ESA.

The point that the hon. Gentleman raises with paragraph (b) was the subject of a previous conversation; as we heard earlier today, it is found within the contracts. As for paragraph (c), page 26 of the draft regulations deals with claimants failing to attend or complete an interview or assessment. In the spirit in which the hon. Gentleman posed his questions, I hope that I have reassured him and that he will be tempted to withdraw the motion.

Jeremy Hunt (Shadow Minister (the Disabled), Work & Pensions; South West Surrey, Conservative)

I am grateful to the Minister. I am happy to have been reassured. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.