Coalition Againat Welfare Bill (CAWRB) fifth Welfare Reform Newsletter:-

Coalition Against the Welfare Reform Bill had its day of action on December
4th, same day as the Public Sector Duty came in force, requiring all public
bodies (set up by Government through law) to demonstrate how they will treat
disabled people fairly.

Despite a windy, cold and wet miserable day, Coalition against the Welfare
Reform Bill members got out to protest against Government’s Welfare Reform’s
ideas. This kicked off with a planned meeting with Anne McGuire, the Minister for Disabled People.

All of us were very unhappy about the wording of the Welfare Reform Bill which would for example allow Job Centres Plus and Pathways to Work to force
disabled people into work.

Whilst Anne McGuire kept on saying that the Bill was not about forcing disabled people into paid work, we still did not get an answer to what was behind the benefit sanctions, cutting benefits for not taking part in work-related activities which may include unlimited unpaid work experience.

The Coalition were advised by Greg Chammings from the Department of Work
and Pensions ‘not to read the bill because it was too technical’ despite the devil is always in the detail!

Nolfolk Coalition of Disabled People Steve Blake said “The meeting itself did not resolve many issues and it was clear that the most prepared people for the meeting were representatives of organisations of disabled people from the Coalition Against the Welfare Reform Bill..

The impression I got from the meeting was, the Government was so sure that
they were going to get this Bill through Parliament but they did not come prepared to defend it. And on the occasions, the Coalition against the Welfare Reform Bill pressed for answers the Government were caught on the back foot.

Anne McGuire said this Bill was about Employers employing Disabled People but when we challenged this, and asked them to show one word in the Bill that mentions Employers employing disabled people, the Minister had to backtrack and withdraw her statement and then point to other legislation which should help disabled people gets jobs.” Says Steve Blake (Nolfolk Coalition of Disabled People).

“I felt that Ann McGuire came to the meeting unprepared and was unable to answer the questions put to her. The civil servant that she had with her was useless, he had to borrow a copy of the bill from Steve to find the answer
to a question he had asked. A lot of the time the answer we got was "well that's not what it means" but with very little explanation about what it DID mean. Most of the questions were too "technical" for them to answer and they asked if we could put them in am email. So all in all we did not really get anything out of the meeting let alone any questions answered” says People 1st’s boss Andrew Lee.

We at UKDPC shared what People First and Nolfolk Coalition of Disabled People have said. Anne McGuire was a little surprised to find the Welfare Reform Bill she was supporting said that Disabled People may be forced to have medical treatment as a condition of receiving benefits. Like with other representatives we have pointed out which section in the Bill to Anne McGuire.

She has reassured us that she will make it clear that no one will be forced
to have medical treatment in order to get benefits when it comes for third
reading in House of Commons during the New Year. We want her to do one
better, and that is to remove this section together with the whole Bill.

Claire from WinVisable says “CAWRB raised a number of objections and concerns with Ann Maguire. Her attitude towards us was aggressive and hostile. She either said we misunderstood the government's intention, or she insisted that coercion by the benefits system was necessary.”

Whilst the meeting was disappointing because Anne McGuire did not come prepared the UKDPC were pleased to see a number of disabled people coming to lobby their MPs on Welfare Reform despite the horrible weather conditions.

As Anne McGuire could not answer our questions, we are going to demand a
meeting with the Minister with sole responsibility for welfare reform bill, Jim Murphy.

In the meanwhile please keep on collecting signatures for our petition which we would like to present to Jim Murphy in the New Year. We need those petitions sent to Simone Aspis at the UKDPC’s address.


Hutton’s 18th December
announcement to crack down on the ‘Work-shy’

As going to press John Hutton (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) has
said he wants to make it easier to stop benefits for anyone who is not looking for or taking up paid work. This is a big attack on everyone’s rights to get benefits whilst looking for good and decently paid work for those can work. This is likely to hit disabled people the hardest as they are the most likely to be getting benefits, out of work and face the biggest discrimination in the job market.

The UKDPC sent out a press release stating that it will be disabled people who would be the hardest hit by such a proposal. If the Government wants to support work for disabled people who are able to do it, should look to the benefit system and the Disability Discrimination laws rather than blaming the jobless individuals.

The Welfare Reform Bill will be debated by MPs on Tuesday, 9th January 2007.
After that date, the Bill will be debated by the done in the meanwhile.

Contact Simone Aspis, Litchurch Plaza, Litchurch Lane, Derby
Tel No 0208-459-2998
Email  simone@bcodp.org.uk
Coalition Againat Welfare Bill (CAWRB) Newsletter