Clause 21
Welfare Reform Bill
8:45 pm
Danny Alexander (Shadow Minister and Disability Spokesperson, Work & Pensions; Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move amendmentNo. 165, in clause 21, page 17, line 9, leave out from ‘beginning’ to end of line 11 and insert
‘from the date of claim, and
(b) ending with
(i) determination of eligibility for Employment and Support Allowance, or
(ii) such day as may be prescribed up to a maximum of 91 days from the date of claim,
whichever is the sooner.’.
I shall be brief, because I know that we are trying to make some progress, as we just have. I think that we have covered more clauses in two minutes than in the previous two hours. It was an impressive piece of work.
The amendment is intended to probe the Government’s thinking on the nature and timing of the assessment phase for the employment and support allowance. It sets out that that phase should end either on the date on which eligibility for benefit is determined or after 13 weeks. Ministers have made clear that the assessment phase should last 13 weeks. If entitlement for benefit is determined before the 13-week phase is over, the entitlement should start on that date so a person does not have to wait two or three weeks before receiving the full benefit. That is a relatively simple but important point, not least to those outside the House following our proceedings. I would be grateful if the Under-Secretary would clarify the assessment phase and make it clear that it will end after 13 weeks or on the date on which a determination of benefit is made if, as we all hope, it happens more quickly.