Housing Benefit

Charles Kennedy Excerpts

Tuesday 12th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Steve Webb]

I will give way to my right hon. Friend the Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Mr Kennedy).

[Mr Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Lochaber) (LD)]

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way—it is characteristically generous of him, particularly because he knows my past record and that I have been unable to give my support to his policy. I have a specific question on how the policy will develop. The Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recommended some time ago that communities of fewer than 3,000 people could be exempted from the impact of the policy. I represent the largest geographic constituency in Britain, and that question is of great interest to the Highland council welfare committee. Will he please look at it?

[Steve Webb]

My right hon. Friend and his hon. Friends have been effective in lobbying for the needs of remote rural communities. That is why we specifically made available this year an additional £5 million, focused exclusively on remote rural communities, which face difficulty because of the distance people might have to travel to alternative accommodation. I hope that that Government decision this year has helped to address those concerns.