Time was right to reflect on benefits and welfare reforms

Last week the Universal Credit Bill (UC) passed its 3rd reading in the House of Commons.

- LILLIAN JONES

Further to emails I received from constituents and because of my own concerns, I was one of the 108 Labour MPs who cosigned the “reasoned amendment” to the Second Reading of the Bill which compelled formal debate in the Commons.

That along with conversations I and others had with Ministers resulted in the Government agreeing to drop the proposed four-point eligibility threshold for PIP and to slow the overall pace of reform.

Those were important concessions that reflect the strength of feeling across Parliament and the country.

I was a signatory for Dr Marie Tidbal’s amendment NC11 ensuring greater protections for disabled people and the coproduction and oversight of the Timm’s review as well as the establishment of a Disability Co-production Taskforce.