No confidence in Welfare Reform Minister

Tue,28 October 2014
News Equality & Rights

MPs yesterday rejected a Labour Party call for Welfare Minister Lord Freud to lose his job after his recent comments on pay for disabled workers.

The motion before the Commons read –

"That this House notes the comments of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare Reform, Lord Freud, on 30 September 2014 that the work of disabled people is not worth the minimum wage; believes that these comments have further undermined trust among disabled people in this Government's policies, a trust which had already been damaged by delays in assessments for a personal independence payment, problems with work capability assessments, and the poor performance of policies aimed at helping disabled people into work; further notes that the conduct of Lord Freud had already damaged that trust through his oversight of the housing benefit social sector size criteria which has had a particularly severe impact on disabled people, many of whom have nowhere else to move to and need extra room for medical equipment or carers; and therefore concludes that this House has no confidence in the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare Reform; and calls on the Prime Minister to dismiss him."

The opposition motion of no confidence in was defeated by 302 votes to 243 – a majority 59.

Watch the debate online.

The full text of the debate can be read online.