On July 9th the Universal Credit (UC) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Bill went through its final stages in the Commons.
Last week I wrote a detailed explanation of my views on the Bill’s earlier stages, which you can read here.
After Second Reading, the details of a Bill are usually scrutinised by a small cross-party committee of MPs. However, when a Bill is of constitutional or ethical importance or is deemed contentious, it is examined by a Committee of the Whole House. This was the case with the UC and PIP Bill and we were able to debate and vote on a number of proposed amendments.
I made two interventions during the debate. The first was on Marie Tidball’s speech, which highlighted the need for Ministers to fully commit to the principles of co-production if they want to build trust with disabled people and get welfare reform right.
I was very pleased when Ministers made another concession to the Bill thanks to the amendment Marie had tabled. Her amendment called for a series of protections, including that future changes to PIP be co-produced with disabled people and experts; that the Government commit to a clear summer consultation before new eligibility rules for PIP are applied to new claimants; and that measurable targets on closing the disability employment gap are introduced.
I also intervened on Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, as he was winding up the debate. I welcome his commitment to meaningful co-production – a vital part of ensuring we create a benefits system fit for the future.
I voted in favour of the Bill in its amended form at Third Reading. It passed comfortably and will now go to the House of Lord for further scrutiny.
As I said in my statement last week, I am grateful to the Government for listening to the concerns I (and many others) have raised over the last few weeks. With proper co-production, I very much hope that we can get this right, regain the trust of disabled people and create a society in which disabled people are valued and can thrive and live with dignity and respect.