Work Programme

Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 19 July 2010.

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Photo of Julian Smith Julian Smith Conservative, Skipton and Ripon 2:30, 19 July 2010

What recent representations he has received on his Department's proposed new Work programme.

Photo of Chris Grayling Chris Grayling The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

We have had a large number of representations from organisations interested in and interested to participate in the Work programme. My colleagues and I have also had a series of meetings with interested parties among the provider community and the financial community.

Photo of Julian Smith Julian Smith Conservative, Skipton and Ripon

Will my right hon. Friend pay tribute to the Skipton and Ripon enterprise initiative led by Alan Halsall, chairman of Silver Cross Prams in my constituency, which has built a network of established business owners who are voluntarily giving their time to provide advice to anyone who wants to set up a business?

Photo of Chris Grayling Chris Grayling The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

I will indeed pay tribute to my hon. Friend's constituent. As well as Government action to address the problems, we should capture the valuable experience of communities and individuals in building businesses, and use it positively to help those who are out of work. We particularly want more individuals to move off benefits into self-employment. I have no doubt that my hon. Friend's constituent and-I hope-others around the country will be able to make a big difference to these people as they seek to build their businesses in the years ahead.

Photo of Ann Clwyd Ann Clwyd Labour, Cynon Valley

Has the right hon. Gentleman had representations from the academic behind the new benefit system, who said that

"ministers should postpone plans to move 2.5 million incapacity benefit claimants on to the new employment and support allowance... until serious errors have been rectified... To go ahead with these problems is not just ridiculous. It is, in fact, scary"?

That was said by Paul Gregg, Professor of Economics at the university of Bristol.

Photo of Chris Grayling Chris Grayling The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

If one looks at what the last Government first set up with the work capability assessment, I have some sympathy with that view, and I have changed some of these things. The last Government actually expected people on chemotherapy to be judged fit for work. We moved quickly to change that, and we have also set up a review of the work capability assessment, which will report by the end of the year. I have made sure that there is a voice on that from groups that have deep and detailed knowledge of the area. For example, we have the head of Mind acting as an adviser to the review. That is how we will get it right; we will do all we can to do so.