Oral Answers to Questions

Marcus Jones Excerpts

Monday 10th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Mark Spencer (Sherwood) (Con)]

8. What recent steps he has taken to prevent benefit tourism.

[Mr Marcus Jones (Nuneaton) (Con)]

11. What recent steps he has taken to prevent benefit tourism.

[Gareth Johnson (Dartford) (Con)]

16. What recent steps he has taken to prevent benefit tourism.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Duncan Smith]

My hon. Friend is of course right that we want to support people who, through no fault of their own, fall out of work, and we want to do that for our own citizens. We also accept that for those who have been here for a period of time—hence the habitual residence test—because it is important to support those who are genuinely resident in the UK and delivering something for the UK economy. His constituents will understand fully that it is right to do that. However, it is not right for us to end up with a system—other countries agree on this—in which someone can literally arrive here and, only days after, decide that they are not working and, therefore, they are eligible for benefits. That would be quite wrong for the British taxpayer.

[Mr Jones]

My constituents will be horrified with this proposal from the EU Commission but heartened by the robust stance my right hon. Friend is taking. Does he not agree that, in addition to a consensus across Europe on the issue, we need a firm and robust consensus across this House? Therefore, what representations has he received from the Labour party in this regard?

[Mr Duncan Smith]

I actually have not received any representations from the Labour party but, to be fair, I did not ask for any. I always look forward to seeing my opposite number over a drink, although we have not had one recently, and he is more than welcome to make representations. He should know that we have had good representations from other countries that were not part of this, including Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia. I want to put it on the record that the costs of the proposal could be enormous. If we did not have the British residency test, it is estimated that right now the cost would be something in the order of £155 million, although that could change.