Universal Credit

Lord Harris of Haringey Excerpts

Wednesday 10th December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, the NAO has recognised the savings to government of going the way that we are going, with a live service showing us how it works and a properly designed digital service coming out behind. The NAO has recognised that the savings to government of that approach are £2 billion.

[Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab)]

My Lords, the Public Accounts Committee has pointed out that the Government are too trusting of quasi-monopolistic private providers such as G4S, which is to have a major role in the development of universal credit. Have the Government forgiven it for overcharging the taxpayer £130 million for tagging people who did not exist or had died?

[Lord Freud]

G4S has no role in the run-out of universal credit.