Universal Credit

Lord McAvoy Excerpts

Wednesday 30th July 2014 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord McAvoy]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to increase transparency and openness in the implementation of universal credit.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con)]

We consistently and regularly update Parliament and stakeholders on universal credit implementation, and the universal credit programme continues to be subject to substantial scrutiny. We will maintain every effort to communicate openly and on a timely basis.

[Lord McAvoy (Lab)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his Answer, and I would like to wish him a peaceful and happy Recess. But in the mean time, many noble Lords will, like me, have been shocked to hear the head of the Home Civil Service say on 7 July that the business case for universal credit has not been approved by the Treasury. He said:

“We shouldn’t beat about the bush: it hasn’t been signed off”.

Does the Minister know of any other project on which £612 million has been spent without the business case for that project being signed off by the Treasury?

[Lord Freud]

I do not have a review of all the business cases, but I know that we have 44 separate business cases for change programmes in my department, the DWP, and that this is the most reviewed. What we have said—and I have said it in this House—is that the plans in the strategic outline business case for the remainder of this Parliament have been cleared, and that we are looking to get formal full clearance for the case shortly.