Welfare Spending
Debate between Peter Bedford and Antonia Bance(3 days, 4 hours ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Antonia Bance (Tipton and Wednesbury) (Lab)
On the two-child benefit cap, will the hon. Member give way?
Antonia Bance
I thank the hon. Member for giving way. Do some children deserve to go hungry?
Mr Bedford
Of course not.
We on the Conservative Benches know that the hard-pressed taxpayer deserves better. I am proud that the shadow Secretary of State has outlined tough but fair proposals to cut the welfare bill. Our plan to make work pay and to stop the unfair gaming of the system would make savings of £23 billion for the Exchequer.
First, we will clamp down on the ridiculous system that enables people with mild health conditions to receive thousands of pounds from the state, when people with the exact same conditions go out to work and pay their dues. Secondly, we will reduce fraud and error in the system by bringing back face-to-face assessments, which are a means of ensuring that support is in the right hands. Finally, we will restrict benefits for non-UK nationals. We all know that migrants are attracted to the UK, because of our welfare system perhaps being too generous.
Antonia Bance
Will the hon. Gentleman give way on that point?
Mr Bedford
I am not giving way.
The welfare system should be there for British people who need it, not for others who perhaps just want it, and Conservative Members will never apologise for believing in aspiration over dependency.