New Clause 9 — Regulations about powers to require information, offences and penalties

Part of Local Government Finance Bill – in the House of Commons at 6:15 pm on 21 May 2012.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Nick Raynsford Nick Raynsford Labour, Greenwich and Woolwich 6:15, 21 May 2012

I wholly concur with my right hon. Friend’s argument. Does not he, like me, think it extraordinary that the Government, when they first announced the proposals, said specifically that they intended the reduction not to create any work disincentives? That has now disappeared from the rhetoric—they appear to have forgotten that objective entirely. Given their overall approach and the rhetoric they are adopting in relation to other benefit changes, such as saying that they are on the side of people in work, is it not extraordinary that they are now explicitly accepting the fact that this measure will create serious work disincentives?