Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 27 October 2010.
John Glen
Conservative, Salisbury
11:30,
27 October 2010
what discussions he has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on the implementation in Scotland of proposals to establish a universal credit.
David Mundell
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State and I have been in contact with Ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions about a number of aspects of welfare reform in relation to Scotland.
John Glen
Conservative, Salisbury
I thank my right hon. Friend to that reply. Many areas of Scotland, notably Glasgow, have suffered from the previous Government's shameful failure to reform welfare over the past 13 years. Does he agree that, far from fearing the universal credit and the work programme, those areas, particularly Glasgow, will benefit because it will pay to be in work and there will be more help into employment for those who need it?
David Mundell
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
I do agree with my hon. Friend. Our programme is designed to support those who are in the most need but also to ensure that work always pays.
Brian H Donohoe
Labour, Central Ayrshire
On the question of work, or the lack of it, the Minister will have doubtless seen the national publicity around Irvine, because of the demise of the development corporation, created by a previous Conservative Administration. Does he believe that it is now time to bring back the Irvine development corporation?
David Mundell
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The hon. Gentleman is always a strong advocate for interests in his Constituency, but he will know that responsibility for that particular one rests with the Scottish Government.
Malcolm Bruce
Chair, International Development Committee, Chair, International Development Committee
The Minister will be aware that the pilot scheme for getting people off incapacity benefit and into work is under way in Aberdeen, and it will be a desirable outcome if people can be freed from benefit. May I share with him the experience of a constituent who came to see me this week? He said that he had just successfully got DLA, incapacity benefit and carer's allowance, but it required three separate applications and two medical examinations, which involved two separate doctors being sent from Glasgow to carry out the examinations. Is that not an example of how incompetently inefficient the system currently is?
David Mundell
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Yes. The right hon. Gentleman is correct to highlight the inefficiencies of the current system, which is why the coalition Government are committed to the reform of the welfare system. It is an issue that I will draw to the attention of the Minister at the Department for Work and Pensions who will visit Scotland tomorrow.
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