Clause 28
Welfare Reform Bill
3:30 pm
David Ruffley (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; Bury St Edmunds, Conservative)
I rise to support the amendment for one very simple reason: the Conservative Opposition have a track record of supporting sunset clauses and this is a sunset clause of great importance because it relates to a proposal that, to my mind, is easily the most controversial in the Bill. Frankly, the Opposition have serious problems with it.
The amendment would in effect turn the clause into a pilot. If the powers are used—I hope that they are not—Parliament could look at the evidence for the effect of the powers, not only on the income levels of the adults sanctioned, but the knock-on effects on the children in a sanctioned household, if there are any. Parliament would also be able to examine the approach of local authorities, the advice given to them and, most importantly, the available rehabilitation services, which should if successful preclude the need for benefit docking.
All those things need to be tested to destruction. One way in which to do that is to set a time limit for the clause. In that spirit of evidence-based policy making to ensure good public policy and that those who are potentially the most vulnerable have their interests protected, I support the amendment.