Oral Answers to Questions

Damian Hinds Excerpts

Monday 28th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to highlight the flaws in the system we inherited from his party when it was in government. We have taken steps to improve the process. The Harrington review was designed to ensure that we have a better and more just process, with fewer appeals being made. I agree with the hon. Gentleman about wanting to see the number of appeals reduced significantly, but it is the right of the individual claimant to appeal if they so choose.

[Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)]

7. What assessment he has made of the potential effects on incentives to work of implementation of the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill.

[Nick de Bois (Enfield North) (Con)]

8. What assessment he has made of the potential effects on incentives to work of implementation of the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill.

[Damian Hinds]

Casual work and temporary work are important routes into employment, but many people are put off them, not only by benefit loss but by the complexities they will face. How will my right hon. Friend’s welfare reform programme help to address that disincentive?

[Mr Duncan Smith]

One of the complexities that most people face is the fact that two Departments administer what are, in essence, benefits: the working tax credit and the Department’s own benefits system. One of the problems that occurs is that people in difficulty often find it difficult and stressful to figure out who they are supposed to notify of the changes taking place in their lives, their working hours and so on, and they have to go to two Departments to deal with two sets of figures. That will all be sorted out as we bring those together under one benefit. First, these people will not have to notify so many people, and secondly, universal credit will pick up a great deal of that through the real-time system.