Atos Healthcare Debate

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Department: Department for Work and Pensions

Helen Goodman

Main Page: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)

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Access and Facilities (House of Commons)

Atos Healthcare

Helen Goodman Excerpts

Census (Local Government Funding)
Tuesday 4th September 2012

(11 years, 8 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Chris Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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If people can make a return to work, even if it is a different form of work from what they were able to do before their health condition arose, that is better for them than spending the rest of their life on benefits. That is the principle that we are working towards.

Chris Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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I will briefly give way once, but that is all.

--- Later in debate ---
Helen Goodman Portrait Helen Goodman
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If the Minister has read the current descriptors, will he explain what kind of work a person could do when their engaging in social contact with someone unfamiliar is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others? There are those who have reduced awareness of everyday hazards, which means that they face significant risk of injury to themselves or others, and those who are at risk of loss of control leading to extensive evacuation of their bowel and bladder. What work can these people do?

Chris Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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Let me pick up on that point straight off. It is all well and good for Opposition Members to stand up and rail about the system, but it is a system that was created by Labour four years ago when they were in government, and it is a system that we have consistently tried to improve.

Let me be absolutely clear. I put it on record that this is not a financial exercise. There are no targets attached to the reassessment of people on incapacity benefit—[Interruption.] The assessment that is in place for new claimants for employment and support allowance—

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