Clause 43
Welfare Reform Bill
11:00 am
Mark Harper (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; Forest of Dean, Conservative)
I am grateful to the Minister. Although the amendment to which she referred was not as brilliantly drafted as this one—not having had the benefit of parliamentary counsel—it clearly had some merit, as Ministers have thought about it again. It was tabled on the basis of making sure that parents would have to disclose relevant information and that the burden was not put on the parent with care or CMEC, who might have to go on a hunting expedition.
I am pleased that the Minister confirmed that it is intended that regulations be tightly drawn. Clearly, as has been acknowledged, it would not be in the interests of the commission to have widely drawn regulations because it would simply be overburdened by information. She has clearly indicated that the changes likely to be consulted upon are to do with employment status, earnings and income. I am pleased that she wants to ensure that the commission engages with all the stakeholder groups to have a proper conversation about those. We will obviously scrutinise the secondary legislation when those regulations are brought before the House, but in these circumstances and with those reassurances, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.