Bob Russell
Main Page: Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat - Colchester)Department Debates - View all Bob Russell's debates with the Scotland Office
(14 years ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mr Speaker
I call Bob Russell. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] Order. I want to hear Mr Russell too.
Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)
Earlier the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition had fun and games over housing benefit cuts. This is not a laughing matter for the thousands of children who could well become homeless. I am confident that this was an unintended consequence because the cost of putting children in bed-and-breakfast accommodation is greater than housing benefit. Will the Prime Minister look at this again, please?
The Prime Minister
I completely agree with the hon. Gentleman; this is an incredibly serious issue. We have a housing benefit bill that is out of control—up 50% over the past five years for working-age adults. The key change that we are suggesting is a cap of £20,000—let me repeat that: £20,000—that a family can get for their rent. The fact is that there will be many people working in Colchester, Doncaster or west Oxfordshire who are paying their taxes and who could not dream of living in a house that cost £20,000 to rent each year. It is an issue of fairness that we tackle this budget, get it under control, and do not ask hard-working people to support benefit levels to get things they simply could not have themselves.