New Clause 9
Welfare Reform Bill
12:45 pm
John Robertson (Glasgow North West, Labour)
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
This debate might be a two-parter, because I know that the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform will delight in giving me an answer. The aim of the new clause is to ensure that a person of working age does not face a pensions penalty in retirement because of taking on a significant caring role for a grandchild or somebody else in need. Grandparents Plus, which champions the vital role of grandparents and the wider family in children’s lives, has been working on the new clause. It provides a welcome voice to this debate because it represents a section of the population that is not always heard.
An early-day motion in favour of such a change has received cross-party support and has been signed by more than 80 Members. As a grandparent, I suppose that I should declare a prospective interest in new clause 9—[Interruption.]