Welfare Reform and Work Bill (Seventh sitting)

Corri Wilson Excerpts

Tuesday 13th October 2015 Public Bill Committees

Division 26

Ayes: 9

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Labour: 7
Scottish National Party: 2

Noes: 11

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Conservative: 10

[Corri Wilson (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (SNP)]

I beg to move amendment 45, in clause 11, page 13, line 10, leave out “one other child” and insert “two other children”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to child tax credit for families with three children.

[The Chair]

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:

Amendment 46, in clause 11, page 13, line 10, leave out “one other child” and insert “three other children”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to child tax credit for families with four children.

Amendment 47, in clause 11, page 13, line 10, leave out “one other child” and insert “four other children”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to child tax credit for families with five children.

Amendment 48, in clause 11, page 13, line 10, leave out “one other child” and insert “five other children”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to child tax credit for families with six children.

Amendment 50, in clause 12, page 13, line 18, leave out subsections (1) to (4).

This amendment would retain entitlement to the child element of universal credit for families with more than two children.

Amendment 51, in clause 12, page 13, line 22, leave out “two” and insert “three”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to the child element of universal credit for families with three children.

Amendment 52, in clause 12, page 13, line 22, leave out “two” and insert “four”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to the child element of universal credit for families with four children.

Amendment 53, in clause 12, page 13, line 22, leave out “two” and insert “five”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to the child element of universal credit for families with five children.

Amendment 54, in clause 12, page 13, line 22, leave out “two” and insert “six”.

This amendment would retain entitlement to the child element of universal credit for families with six children.

New clause 5—Entitlement to housing benefit—

‘(1) Section 130A of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (Appropriate maximum housing benefit), is amended as follows.

(2) After subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) Entitlement to housing benefit shall not be restricted in respect of a maximum number of children or qualifying young persons for whom a claimant is responsible.”’

To prevent the Secretary of State from limiting entitlement to housing benefit by taking into account only a certain number of children in a family.

New clause 6—Entitlement to housing costs under Universal Credit—

‘(1) Section 11 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (Housing costs), is amended as follows.

(2) After subsection (5) insert—

“(6) Entitlement to an amount under this section shall not be restricted in respect of a maximum number of children or qualifying young persons for whom a claimant is responsible.”’

To prevent the Secretary of State from limiting entitlement to housing costs under Universal Credit by taking into account only a certain number of children in a family.

I will allow a wide-ranging discussion on this group of amendments.

[Corri Wilson]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship once again, Mr Streeter, on another full day of scrutiny on a Bill that is about neither welfare nor work. It serves only to make some of the most vulnerable in society worse off. As I speak to amendment 45 and the other amendments in this group, I am going to raise some of the issues that I find most absurd about the Bill.

I was, as may be expected, disheartened to see the Committee reject amendment 44. It was, however, not a surprise that Government Members would oppose the plan to keep the family element of child tax credit for at least another five years. For that reason, the Scottish National party is looking to protect larger families through this series of amendments. We tabled each of the amendments because protection needs to be afforded to all families, large or small. Families include children, and the policies in the Bill will affect young children. That is why my party opposes the Bill in its entirety.

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[Damian Hinds]

I think the hon. Lady’s point was about her child. I do not think she meant it as a direct question. [Interruption.] I am trying to explain that there will be a limit to the amount of financial support coming through the tax credit system according to the number of children, but there will be other elements still in place, and enhanced elements in relation to childcare. There will also be a further increase in the income tax personal allowance and a major structural reform in the labour market so that the tax credit system does not top up low wages. People will be paid properly for the job that they do via the national living wage, and we estimate that 65% of people who benefit from the national living wage will be women.

[Corri Wilson]

In tabling our amendments, the SNP seeks to lessen hardship in families. We want families, no matter how many children they have, to be able to access the child tax credit and child element of universal credit to allow children to have the best possible start. Life is complex and not quite as black and white as the Bill suggests. When my children were at school, I was a single parent and I worked full time. I wanted to work, but, without the tax credits, I could not have afforded to. Please do not cut this lifeline for people in a similar position today. We will press amendments 45 and 50 to a vote.

Question put, That the amendment be made.