Clause 31
1:15 pm
Mark Harper (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; Forest of Dean, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment 79, in clause 31, page 38, line 21, at end insert
‘including, in particular, making arrangements with voluntary organisations to provide disabled persons with assistance in connection with direct payments.’.
The clause gives Ministers the power to make provision enabling the exercise of greater choice and control, so it is one of the excellent clauses that relates to the very thick book containing all the regulation-making powers that was produced by the Minister for Employment and Welfare during Tuesday’s sitting. The amendment responds to the concern that has been expressed about people receiving direct payment to spend themselves, and whether they are receiving appropriate advice and support on how to manage that money correctly. That concern was expressed by Liz Sayce, the chief executive of the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation, during an evidence sitting, and by RADAR in its brief to the Committee.
The Government have recognised the need for peer support and advice on managing direct payments, and there are other options if people do not want to receive their individual budgets as direct payments. The report of the Prime Minister’s strategy unit, “Improving the life chances of disabled people”, included a commitment to having a user-led organisation in every local area by 2010. I understand that we are quite a long way off that target and, given that 2010 is not a long time away, it might help if the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, the hon. Member for Glasgow, North, updated us on progress towards getting those user-led organisations in every local area. The Department of Health has carried out some capacity-building programmes, but it would be very helpful if the Minister gave us an idea of how many local authorities have a good user-led organisation that people can access for advice on how to use their direct payments.
I understand from the briefing material supplied by RADAR that the availability of support and information can make a huge difference in the take-up of direct payments. There is a direct correlation between take-up and the availability of support.
As Ministers have suggested, people who have not used an individual budget and a direct payment before may have many questions about how to spend the money, and whether they really want to take on the responsibility, perhaps of employing people directly. Actually, learning from people who have done that successfully about creativity and the different solutions that one can come up with is helpful. As RADAR has stated:
“Being able to access quality support services—be they to broker services or manage payroll—will in many cases make the difference between someone feeling able to take a direct payment and just feeling it could all be too much hassle.”
Will the Under-Secretary outline where we are in respect of user-led organisations in local areas? What further steps will the Government take to roll out such services, specifically as part of the pilot, and will Ministers ensure that peer support and advice are there to help people to make the best use of their individual budget and direct payments? If she could reassure the Committee on those issues, it would be helpful.