Clause 3
11:30 am
Jeremy Browne (Taunton, Liberal Democrat)
I am grateful to be made aware of that, Mr. Bercow. I do not doubt that it is possible to come up with a whole list of criteria and regulations which satisfy the drafters in the Minister’s Department. The concern often expressed is that it is very difficult for members of the public to understand who is, or is not, eligible for certain entitlements, and why they are not eligible when someone they know who appears to be in similar circumstance is eligible. This is typical work for an MP, both in their surgeries and in correspondence. It is strange to have a list of criteria, one or more item of which has to be satisfied, then come up with a separate category which is defined in regulation by another list of criteria.
This may be for the DWP rather than the Treasury, but quite a few people would find it strange that there are people claiming benefits who are essentially receiving money directly from the UK Government despite having no connection with the United Kingdom of a type laid out in the regulations. I think that most people would feel that if someone had no connection with the UK they should not be receiving the benefits listed in subsection (2). There may be co-ordinating criteria explaining why it is so much easier to get benefits than it is to open one of the new saving gateway accounts and why our taxes are being spent on people who have no connection whatsoever with the UK, but I sense the Economic Secretary is not keen to add the type of clarity that I would wish to see. On that basis, having made my point, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.