Benefit Claimants Sanctions (Required Assessment) Bill

Debate between Margaret Ferrier and Mhairi Black

Friday 2nd December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mhairi Black]

The hon. Lady is spot on and I am glad that she gets it.

As part of our public consultation, Sean in Glasgow confirmed the need for exceptions for those with mental ill health. He said:

“I live in Glasgow and suffer from a few mental and physical health conditions which affect my ability to work, and have affected my Jobcentre claims in the past (a couple of times, I’ve been too depressed to go to a meeting and my claims have been cancelled—my depression and isolation at those times left me sitting around, hungry and alone, with no money, and too depressed to deal with it), so I feel I’m qualified to talk about this topic and, indeed, recently contacted the Minister for Mental Health to discuss possible ways in which we can ameliorate the mental health burden on the NHS and increase levels of care for sufferers at the same time.”

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (SNP)]

Last week I tabled a written question asking the DWP for an estimate of the number of people in Scotland subject to a benefit sanction who have had to use food banks. The answer I received was:

“The Department does not hold this information.”

Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government cannot possibly continue to deny the link between sanctions and food bank usage if they are not collecting that vital information?

[Mhairi Black]

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. As I have said multiple times in this Chamber and outside it, one of the things that saddens and depresses me most about the society we live in just now is the fact that use of the phrase “food banks” has become normal. Although we should support our food banks, they are now considered to be a legitimate add-on to the state and people are told that they should just go to them.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mhairi Black]

We have all experienced that and can see it in our own constituencies. Again, I have not introduced the Bill to be controversial. The Bill seeks to tighten what is already in place, to tidy it up and to offer a wee bit of security and consistency for all people throughout the UK.

[Margaret Ferrier]

Is there any evidence to suggest that sanctions help to reduce unemployment?

[Mhairi Black]

No, there is not. If anything, the evidence shows the opposite. This is not about getting rid of the sanctions regime altogether, as some people would wish.