:00:00. > :00:00.We'll go live to the House of Lords. You can watch coverage of all of
:00:00. > :00:19.today's business after the daily politics later tonight. According to
:00:20. > :00:25.the onus, the average income has folded by 22% by 2000 eight, fallen
:00:26. > :00:28.over that period. The importance of touching on these issues is to
:00:29. > :00:38.emphasise that employment policy is not about better that it should be
:00:39. > :00:47.about the quality of jobs, the decent work is the word that is
:00:48. > :00:57.growing. How wide will its attention span and be on this issue? We have
:00:58. > :01:02.long signed up to the importance of work and getting people back into
:01:03. > :01:10.work. We have heard about good works being good for 1's health. The
:01:11. > :01:24.proposition about work being the best route out of poverty. Without
:01:25. > :01:30.work benefit support from the government -- 80% of the active
:01:31. > :01:34.population is an ambitious target to have four full employment. It was
:01:35. > :01:40.one adopted by the previous Labour government. It was noted as being
:01:41. > :01:47.ambitious, although progress was being made before the banking crisis
:01:48. > :01:52.of 2008. We know that the Minister is wary of targets, but can he say
:01:53. > :02:02.what the government will base its judgement for employment on?
:02:03. > :02:08.Government would prefer a formulation to affect the implement
:02:09. > :02:19.a rate should be the highest in the G7. I cannot imagine that this would
:02:20. > :02:25.satisfy a purist like the Minister. The UK at 73% is somewhere in the
:02:26. > :02:32.middle behind Germany and Japan, but ahead of the US and France I
:02:33. > :02:34.believe. Making progress toward full employment must entail the
:02:35. > :02:40.government is delivering on its commitment to close the implement
:02:41. > :02:48.gap. The employment gap between employment people and the rest of
:02:49. > :02:55.the population has been a remarkably stubborn for a number of years. That
:02:56. > :03:01.statistic, as we have heard, masks a range of different outcomes as we
:03:02. > :03:06.discussed our debate, and the review produced. The employment rate for
:03:07. > :03:10.learning disabilities is about 8%, and for those with autism about 15%.
:03:11. > :03:33.We dad the Mac. It needs a change in public and
:03:34. > :03:39.employer perception. The highly regarded work choice looked as if it
:03:40. > :03:47.was an insufficient focus. Any other place, the Minister said that it was
:03:48. > :03:55.necessary to lower the gap, because it is inextricable from formal
:03:56. > :04:04.employment. -- full employment. There are rate range of issues that
:04:05. > :04:10.would stop full employment. Which he outlined the concept as how he would
:04:11. > :04:14.see that rate to be the target constructed, and the extent to which
:04:15. > :04:25.he will discuss the range of issues that the Lords have identified? I
:04:26. > :04:37.will address the amendments relating to self employment. Amendment a 61
:04:38. > :04:41.it relates to how the minimum income plot in the self employment and how
:04:42. > :04:46.it works with universal credit. Universal credit supports those on
:04:47. > :04:55.low incomes, and ensures that work will pay. Self-employment
:04:56. > :04:58.realistically to financial self-sufficiency compared to other
:04:59. > :05:03.routes to help businesses. The welfare system is not there to prop
:05:04. > :05:08.up unproductive or lossmaking businesses. The minimum income plot
:05:09. > :05:12.is there to incentivize individuals to increase their earnings from sell
:05:13. > :05:16.the appointment. Those subject to the minimum income plot are exempt
:05:17. > :05:20.from having to search for or to carry out any other work, allowing
:05:21. > :05:23.them to concentrate on making a success of their business and
:05:24. > :05:31.maximizing their returns up to and beyond the level of the minimum
:05:32. > :05:38.income flaw. When it comes to the changes to the national living
:05:39. > :05:43.minimum wage, that means that the competition, the pay of the
:05:44. > :05:49.competitor to the self-employed will be going up. In relative terms, they
:05:50. > :05:57.have an opportunity to increase their pay. The other thing that the
:05:58. > :06:03.minimum income plot is to address a loophole in the system where
:06:04. > :06:07.individuals can report little or zero income, and still receive full
:06:08. > :06:14.financial support. That is neither desirable nor sustainable to
:06:15. > :06:29.maintain. The amendment seeks to allow for flexibility. This power
:06:30. > :06:34.already exists, and it provides significant -- detention for up to
:06:35. > :06:42.12 months of claimants who are starting out and taking active steps
:06:43. > :06:44.to increase their earnings. But the reporting allows universal credit to
:06:45. > :06:52.be adjusted on the universal basis, to late ensure that people do not
:06:53. > :07:00.have to wait several months for an increase in universal credit. We
:07:01. > :07:05.have put in, following a report, they disregard for income on a
:07:06. > :07:08.monthly basis. This approach eradicates the over and under
:07:09. > :07:15.payment issue generated by the current system, which is done on
:07:16. > :07:27.assumed average earnings. We need to make this work for particular
:07:28. > :07:37.groups. One group is equity. We have regular meetings with equity to make
:07:38. > :07:40.sure that we understand, and that we get there, and other concerns, but
:07:41. > :07:49.the reality of the working lives of people with an equity right, and
:07:50. > :07:53.adjusted to them. We are testing have to help and how to provide
:07:54. > :08:02.support for the self-employed. Helping them move up, employing
:08:03. > :08:13.specialised work, and we will test all of this out as we roll-out. The
:08:14. > :08:20.noble Baroness is ahead of the game. The numbers who are self employed
:08:21. > :08:28.under universal credit are low. We need to monitor how this works, and
:08:29. > :08:38.the implementation of the income flaw works. As we roll-out universal
:08:39. > :08:45.credit. Let me turn to a series of amendments about the annual report
:08:46. > :08:48.on unemployment to include specific data on various different groups. I
:08:49. > :08:55.must point out that we have not built into universal credit the
:08:56. > :08:59.requirements to capture specific new management information associated
:09:00. > :09:11.with these amendments under our current plans. Seeking to do so now
:09:12. > :09:17.would not represent -- we have a relatively short timescale to report
:09:18. > :09:26.this information. It could, more importantly, disrupt the universal
:09:27. > :09:35.credit implementation timeline. Amendment 66, proposes to extend
:09:36. > :09:40.reporting duty to include information about self-employed. The
:09:41. > :09:45.UK Labour market is the most diverse -- one of the most diverse in the
:09:46. > :09:50.world for self employment. We want to do all we can to and courage
:09:51. > :09:54.entrepreneurs. The government has launched to reduce to see how we can
:09:55. > :10:08.better support self-employment. There is a weekly allowance for the
:10:09. > :10:12.first six months. This amendment would require the annual report and
:10:13. > :10:15.progress toward unemployment to include Telmex include information
:10:16. > :10:20.about the number of people self-employed. These figures are
:10:21. > :10:35.published every month as part of the Labour market data. We do not feel
:10:36. > :10:40.that we need to monitor, specifically, the particular share
:10:41. > :10:53.of self-employed jobs. Turning to the other amendments, amendment 63,
:10:54. > :10:56.that full employment -- I am sure that everyone in the chamber
:10:57. > :11:06.understands exactly what he referred to stop. Full employment should mean
:11:07. > :11:12.80% of the working age population. I blessed with pleasure when he
:11:13. > :11:19.mentioned by peace in 2007 on reducing dependency. It set up the
:11:20. > :11:24.challenges that the country needed to face. It was to be serious about
:11:25. > :11:31.full employment. I did write about it, as he rightly says. In the
:11:32. > :11:38.context of the Labour government's aspirations to achieve an 80% of
:11:39. > :11:46.working age population. There has quite a lot changed in the 80%
:11:47. > :11:52.figure stop The first thing to adjust is the awareness definition
:11:53. > :11:57.of the population, that it has moved as a result of equalization
:11:58. > :12:09.attention to 65 for both men and women. The 80% aspiration has moved
:12:10. > :12:15.down to 78%. There is also another slightly less mechanical change, the
:12:16. > :12:22.makeup of the population. Older people, and with young people
:12:23. > :12:26.entering the Labour market later because of their participation in
:12:27. > :12:35.education has been increasing. The affect of all of those I have
:12:36. > :12:40.estimated. I had a feeling that the Noble Lord of my wanted very
:12:41. > :12:53.detailed analysis. The effect of those changes puts the 80% figure
:12:54. > :13:01.closer to 75%. The manifesto commitment uses the comparative to
:13:02. > :13:06.be the highest employment rate of the big seven industrial companies.
:13:07. > :13:13.Ironically, that would mean raising our implement rate to around 75%,
:13:14. > :13:21.more or less the same figure. I am using the UK stated rates, not the
:13:22. > :13:27.international comparison rates. It is moving from the 73.7%, to the
:13:28. > :13:35.latest report is 75%, roughly a million people. That would represent
:13:36. > :13:40.our highest implement rate. We are at our highest implement rate now.
:13:41. > :13:45.The target also means that if the other competitive countries move up
:13:46. > :13:57.further, that pulls our target up with it. On balance, I think that
:13:58. > :14:03.achieving the target would put us pretty close to something as
:14:04. > :14:17.challenging as what I was writing about way back in 2007. The first
:14:18. > :14:22.part of amendment 67 would require a separate annual report on the
:14:23. > :14:28.progress being made toward the disability employment gap. The
:14:29. > :14:35.latter amendments would also require a number of specific information,
:14:36. > :14:42.such as the employment rates of different groups of disabled people.
:14:43. > :14:49.However, as progress against the disability gap amendments, a key
:14:50. > :14:52.amendment -- the sentiments are not necessary, as that progress would be
:14:53. > :15:04.reported in the annual report on full employment in any case. The
:15:05. > :15:10.points on how we need to bring together the climate and health
:15:11. > :15:22.social care to support disabled people is one that we accept. One of
:15:23. > :15:32.the things that we are proposing which has been called the book for
:15:33. > :15:34.-- called for, is a radical form -- reform of how we provided this
:15:35. > :15:51.support. On the access to a work issue and
:15:52. > :15:55.the spending review announced that reeled terms increase in fundings
:15:56. > :16:06.for work. This would allow it to expand, sustainably, a response to
:16:07. > :16:13.the query from the noble lady. Similar requests on amendment 64
:16:14. > :16:17.about carers -- this government recognises the vital role that
:16:18. > :16:26.carers provide. Many carers are also in work. The current family resorts
:16:27. > :16:32.report shows that in 2013 and 2014 all carers were in some kind of
:16:33. > :16:37.work. The OMS already publishes information on the number of people
:16:38. > :16:44.outside of the ever market working at home. It would be difficult to
:16:45. > :16:47.track all former carers who have returned to employment following the
:16:48. > :16:50.end of their implements rule, because some will not claimant
:16:51. > :17:01.benefits, and they will be able to move back into work with the help of
:17:02. > :17:04.job centre plus. Those who start looking for work initially claimant
:17:05. > :17:11.benefits can get access to a range of support to the job centre
:17:12. > :17:19.network. Worked -- help can be tailored, and when they successfully
:17:20. > :17:29.move into work, they don't have to tell job centre plus the reason for
:17:30. > :17:39.their claim. Amendment number 64 a including information on the
:17:40. > :17:46.self-employed. Her point on the some of the trends. She made the point
:17:47. > :17:53.that self-employment makeup most of the employment growth for 2011. That
:17:54. > :17:57.is a statistical quirk that happened because a number of employees fell
:17:58. > :18:01.sharply in the recession as always does. All of the losses of employees
:18:02. > :18:15.have been regained, and they are up by one half million since 2010. --
:18:16. > :18:22.one and a half million. He is taking us through a series of reasons as to
:18:23. > :18:29.why he cannot do the granularity in the report. It was his aspirations
:18:30. > :18:36.to have a higher wage lower worker economy that benefits all. Unless
:18:37. > :18:41.Parliament has some granularity for setting that progress, the
:18:42. > :18:45.Chancellor is setting his own aspiration and his own system,
:18:46. > :18:51.because what everybody agrees on is that there has a material change in
:18:52. > :18:53.the nature of implement over the last ten years, which influences
:18:54. > :19:00.what people can earn and how they can participate in the Labour force.
:19:01. > :19:04.Aspiring to a local welfare government that benefits all, we
:19:05. > :19:11.need to understand these trends, relating to people who are disabled,
:19:12. > :19:14.self-employed, or who have contracts. The Lord seems to be
:19:15. > :19:25.listing white these cannot be provided. I don't have to tell her
:19:26. > :19:30.that a lot of these issues are quite contentious, and there is a lot of
:19:31. > :19:35.analysis going on, some of which takes many years to complete end to
:19:36. > :19:40.come to fruition. The problem is that this is a commitment that runs
:19:41. > :19:47.to the rest of this particular government into 2020. To put in some
:19:48. > :19:53.of the information requirements that some of these amendments are in
:19:54. > :19:58.practice looking for, is expensive, risks delaying universal credit
:19:59. > :20:04.because we are under a tight timetable. The primary interest is
:20:05. > :20:10.to see us move with as much speed as we safely can. It would not provide
:20:11. > :20:20.us with adequate information, given the amount of time that it takes to
:20:21. > :20:30.get the into shape. I hope that I have clearly summarised why we are
:20:31. > :20:36.not... There is not a horror at the prospect. We looked at it very
:20:37. > :20:41.deeply, and we felt that we have have to use the information that is
:20:42. > :20:51.available. The information that we are gathering to get this report to
:20:52. > :20:54.work. I am not trying to argue universal credit, I can understand
:20:55. > :20:59.some of the difficulties. At the very least, the government should
:21:00. > :21:03.give us a report on the progress it is making, so that we can begin to
:21:04. > :21:09.understand the kind of developments that are likely to happen, and the
:21:10. > :21:21.successes that the Chancellor might have. The whole point of this Clause
:21:22. > :21:28.is that we will put down a proposal of how we are intending to report
:21:29. > :21:36.unemployment. A lot of the thoughts here, into the specific requests and
:21:37. > :21:41.reasonings are pretty valuable to us as we develop how we can report best
:21:42. > :22:01.about our progress towards full employment. Our latest figures show
:22:02. > :22:08.40% of 16 to 20-year-olds, one of the lowest figures on record. It is
:22:09. > :22:15.a constantly changing group, and many leave the Labour market for
:22:16. > :22:22.short periods between jobs. It doesn't tell us in and of itself
:22:23. > :22:27.about unemployment. On zero hours, which I almost thought I wouldn't
:22:28. > :22:34.talk about, because we always have a little snippet each other about it,
:22:35. > :22:43.it is only 2% of the market. We have outlawed exclusivity clauses in this
:22:44. > :22:48.particular contracts. Part-time work, certainly over the last year,
:22:49. > :22:54.has been driven by people choosing to work part-time, that in mind I
:22:55. > :23:03.have been the case in the recession. It is a constantly changing group.
:23:04. > :23:09.Some of the concerns expressed by the noble lady, I feel like I am
:23:10. > :23:16.living in a parallel universe. The employment growth has been dominated
:23:17. > :23:24.by a full-time employment employees. It has risen in all agreements --
:23:25. > :23:30.regions since 2010. Wages are growing faster than inflation.
:23:31. > :23:40.Temporary work in the UK is among the lowest. The trends are more
:23:41. > :23:43.encouraging than they have been. Given these arguments, and that the
:23:44. > :23:49.statistics on these issues are widely available, I don't believe
:23:50. > :23:53.that specifying them to be in the report is necessary. I understand
:23:54. > :23:59.that full employment is not just about a particular percentage of
:24:00. > :24:04.working adults. We will, as I said, give further consideration as how
:24:05. > :24:11.best this annual report to reflect the diversity of Labour. I apologise
:24:12. > :24:12.for the length of my response. I urge noble Lords to withdraw their
:24:13. > :24:24.amendment. I would like to thank him for his
:24:25. > :24:34.response, obviously I will carefully read it. I would like to think him
:24:35. > :24:38.for taking part in the debate. The point of this whole range of
:24:39. > :24:44.amendments to this important part of the bill was to indicate that some
:24:45. > :24:51.of us do not think that there is sufficient focus on those areas when
:24:52. > :24:57.the issue of Social Security comes into consideration. These are not
:24:58. > :25:00.add-ons, as the Noble Lord the Minister has said, sometimes we
:25:01. > :25:11.think that we live in a parallel universe. It is not an issue of
:25:12. > :25:15.popping up failing businesses. It is the question of some seasonal and
:25:16. > :25:22.fluctuating businesses wanting consideration of their annual income
:25:23. > :25:28.so that there our funds when they claim Social Security. The noble or
:25:29. > :25:32.the Minister says there's some flexibility already that exist. I
:25:33. > :25:39.have to say there is little of that apart from the announcement that
:25:40. > :25:49.those in the first year business will be sent. Finally, I think it is
:25:50. > :25:52.important to to know that the self-employed, of course the number
:25:53. > :26:00.of universal credits... If you see an articulated one down the road --
:26:01. > :26:03.Lori coming down the road, you probably have an idea that you may
:26:04. > :26:09.get run over if you stay in the same place. What I am trying to say is
:26:10. > :26:12.that the establishment of minimal will cause trouble in universal
:26:13. > :26:22.credit in the future. I think it is a warning that is -- that should be
:26:23. > :26:34.well heated. I will seek leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment 62,
:26:35. > :26:45.not moved. Amendment 96 eight, not moved. Amendment 62 B. I want to
:26:46. > :26:50.take the opportunity to seek verification on an issue that was
:26:51. > :26:53.raised with me by a charity which represents parents and children with
:26:54. > :26:58.life limiting and life-threatening conditions. It is a brief amendment,
:26:59. > :26:59.but here is the issue, I understand that children under three are
:27:00. > :27:07.knowledgeable for the higher mobility component of DNA, I think
:27:08. > :27:12.that truck under three are generally not assume to be immobile. The
:27:13. > :27:16.assumption is that under threes will have to be carried in arms lifted
:27:17. > :27:21.into buggies and different cars and car thief, whether they have a
:27:22. > :27:28.disability or not. For most social and their parents it is true. -- car
:27:29. > :27:32.seats. There are small numbers of children that do need help and
:27:33. > :27:39.should have access. As a small group of children who depend on
:27:40. > :27:43.ventilated... Who have made one or more or other technologies which are
:27:44. > :27:47.life-sustaining. Children are in effect constantly attached to life
:27:48. > :27:54.sustaining equipment often bulky or heavy, the shot has to be based in a
:27:55. > :28:02.wheelchair, capable of carrying the equipment. Parents need especially
:28:03. > :28:06.adapt it or broad-based vehicles capable of caring these children
:28:07. > :28:12.linked together with their not small appointment. The children cannot be
:28:13. > :28:15.easily lifted out of cars like most children their age. Output of the
:28:16. > :28:22.Minister the case why this small group of children need mobility and
:28:23. > :28:25.now ends. Most of these children have to be placed in a medical
:28:26. > :28:29.Wiltshire are bad because they need support. These are heavy items, in
:28:30. > :28:32.addition to the life-sustaining equipment most of the children
:28:33. > :28:36.acquire a variety of equipment to go with them, wherever they are. This
:28:37. > :28:46.would include a spare ventilators come oxygen supply and mascot of
:28:47. > :28:52.emergency kits. That is in addition to all of the things parents have to
:28:53. > :28:57.carry as well. Buses will not take oxygen, with the inevitable risk of
:28:58. > :29:01.infection... As well as many susceptible to infection, they are
:29:02. > :29:07.prone to medical prices. The parents need to be able to get them to
:29:08. > :29:12.hospitals quickly for life-saving treatment 24 seven. They do not have
:29:13. > :29:17.a car and the children may not be assessed to have a safe living home.
:29:18. > :29:21.As was heartbreaking for the family and children, it could cost more
:29:22. > :29:26.from the highway mobility allowance of... What with this all cost? As a
:29:27. > :29:30.result of the Reform Act in 2012 disability living allowance has been
:29:31. > :29:40.replaced by people over the age of 16. They want open access to this
:29:41. > :29:47.component, for under threes to require life-sustaining equipment.
:29:48. > :29:49.There were nearly 49,000 people with life-threatening conditions. Only a
:29:50. > :29:53.very small portion of them are under threes to require life-sustaining
:29:54. > :30:00.equipment. To establish how many there may be, meeting this component
:30:01. > :30:06.of DLA, shall I submitted a freedom of information request in 2014. To
:30:07. > :30:09.ask how many parents of children under three had asked for a blue
:30:10. > :30:12.badge because the child was dependent on heavy medical
:30:13. > :30:17.appointment who needed to be near a vehicle in case there was an
:30:18. > :30:21.emergency treatment. I found that in 1530 children needed patches. The
:30:22. > :30:27.wording of this amendment is aligned to the criteria. If those figures
:30:28. > :30:35.are correct, the cost of giving all 1530 children access to the higher
:30:36. > :30:39.mobility rate will be about for ?5 million, that is a small sum for
:30:40. > :30:42.them. It would transform the lives of the families of the child with
:30:43. > :30:48.life-threatening or life limiting conditions. What I described seems
:30:49. > :30:51.like an anomaly, I cannot believe they will allow this to happen. I
:30:52. > :30:59.hope the Minister will give a careful response. I cannot see it
:31:00. > :31:02.reason for no one... I hope the Minister grid I have made the case
:31:03. > :31:06.that babies and children under three will depend on big and heavy
:31:07. > :31:11.life-sustaining women to stay alive in or have a need for immediate
:31:12. > :31:14.access to transport for medical reasons should be regarded as having
:31:15. > :31:21.an additional mobility and become eligible for the mobility element of
:31:22. > :31:30.DLA. Insert the New Clause printed on the list. Can I think the noble
:31:31. > :31:38.or tabling this and providing this clarity. I must express my own
:31:39. > :31:44.empathy regarding what this amendment aims to achieve. There can
:31:45. > :31:49.be no doubt of the position of a family with young disabled children.
:31:50. > :31:56.However I find myself in the usual position to reflect the position set
:31:57. > :32:02.out by the Noble Lord some six years ago when he was a government
:32:03. > :32:08.minister for work and pensions. On that occasion what was to become the
:32:09. > :32:14.2009 welfare reform Act was being debated in Grant committee, and he
:32:15. > :32:19.made a report that the bill introduced... A new provision which
:32:20. > :32:25.now gives access to the higher rate mobility component of DLA to
:32:26. > :32:29.severely, visually impaired people. In much the same terms, at least
:32:30. > :32:37.intended as the amendment we are discussing today was introduced to
:32:38. > :32:43.the Noble Lady baroness Thomas, on that occasion the Noble Lord Lord
:32:44. > :32:49.Mackenzie was sympathetic for the situation. Ultimately he resisted
:32:50. > :32:53.the motion. I quote him "In this difficult financial climate we need
:32:54. > :33:01.to consider carefully the potential cost of such change. This amendment
:33:02. > :33:07.would have caused an additional cost, the estimated cost was ?50
:33:08. > :33:12.million a year. This'll be a significant increase in what is
:33:13. > :33:16.unfortunately a difficult economic situation and is simply not
:33:17. > :33:26.affordable in the current context. " I have never been sad her to have to
:33:27. > :33:42.agree with the Noble Lord -- and to resist the motion. On the tech side,
:33:43. > :33:46.the amendment... That is because the distinction between the two rates
:33:47. > :33:51.has been lost. There are some unintended consequences of the
:33:52. > :34:01.amendment, most notably removing entitlement of the 16 rows of 500
:34:02. > :34:06.children -- 16,500 as a consequence of severe visual impairment. I think
:34:07. > :34:13.that is just drafting and I would not want to dwell on that issue, we
:34:14. > :34:18.can always work that out. The reason why there is the lower age, while
:34:19. > :34:22.many children can walk by age three, not all will have done so the
:34:23. > :34:27.promise of disability. And you would have been able to walk from eight
:34:28. > :34:33.considerable distance. HB provides a reasonable boundary line to what may
:34:34. > :34:36.be considered development of the lay and walking difficulties arising
:34:37. > :34:41.from a disability or long-term health condition. I think we can all
:34:42. > :34:44.agree that the majority of very young children, disabled or not,
:34:45. > :34:53.will lead to considerable degree of support and help from parents and
:34:54. > :35:00.care. Most parents will be will be carrying a bunch of equipment, I do
:35:01. > :35:05.recognize that some young children with particular conditions may be
:35:06. > :35:10.heavily reliant on additional equipment. Some that can be bulky
:35:11. > :35:15.and heavy. But, such technologies are improving all the time. Some are
:35:16. > :35:22.becoming lighter, smaller and more transportable. Despite it being
:35:23. > :35:27.unavailable to children so young, there exist a range of provisions
:35:28. > :35:33.which can help support children and their parents. The care component of
:35:34. > :35:42.DLA, there is no restriction on how it can be used in any entitlement
:35:43. > :35:48.can bring access. Hearings may also be a will to receive a blue badge,
:35:49. > :35:54.for free parking at the child is on heavy equipment. That leads me to
:35:55. > :35:59.questioning the provision of this amendment which focuses on children
:36:00. > :36:03.who need to be near a vehicle for treatment or for that vehicle to at
:36:04. > :36:07.least transfer for them with their equipment. The reason why question
:36:08. > :36:10.this is because on the basis of that the provision can only help those
:36:11. > :36:16.parents who have Artie had use of the motor vehicle who would gain
:36:17. > :36:18.access to the higher rate mobility, as I said earlier the amendment is
:36:19. > :36:25.not clear in its intent regarding the rate of children under three and
:36:26. > :36:30.they will become entitled. It is not clear whether such children will be
:36:31. > :36:35.turn a motor vehicle. Hence the turn a motor vehicle. Hence the
:36:36. > :36:38.amendment is currently drafted and excludes families without access to
:36:39. > :36:44.a vehicle. The second reason why question this is on a more practical
:36:45. > :36:48.basis. If a child requires emergency transportation along with Bulkley on
:36:49. > :36:51.medical appointment, it is doubtful that transportation by the parents
:36:52. > :36:56.is a reasonable and practical expectation. Our emergency services
:36:57. > :37:01.were much better equipped in terms of medical training in suitable
:37:02. > :37:09.vehicles are in place for this type of situation. Finally, I must turn
:37:10. > :37:13.to the finance part of it. This amendment goes further than that
:37:14. > :37:18.debate, and the time available we have been unable to determine how
:37:19. > :37:25.many children could potentially be entitled on this act. That would add
:37:26. > :37:29.to and are ready significant cost burden and further damage our
:37:30. > :37:35.capacity to stay within the welfare cap. I am sympathetic to the
:37:36. > :37:40.intentions behind the amendment, but the government cannot accept this on
:37:41. > :37:45.the basis of the offending cost implications. Regrettably, I have to
:37:46. > :37:58.agree with the Noble Lord, Lord Mackenzie. I urge them to withdraw
:37:59. > :38:14.this amendment. The Minister tell me how many children it is based on?
:38:15. > :38:49.I thought I knew the answer to that. Inspiration is striking, I hope.
:38:50. > :38:55.Sorry, it is 18,500, not 16,500. 18,500 under mysteries are in
:38:56. > :39:01.receipt of DLA and 5500 children impacted. Sorry. I am grateful for
:39:02. > :39:06.that, I am grateful on his thought to apply. I wonder when he goes back
:39:07. > :39:10.and read he may like to reflect on whether given all that he tells us,
:39:11. > :39:13.his view of the current economic situation how compares two or more
:39:14. > :39:18.of Mackenzie was in office, might you might feel that his own
:39:19. > :39:25.assessment may be different. I can see that the two are of one mind. I
:39:26. > :39:28.would ask him to think very hard. Lord Mackenzie has put his name to
:39:29. > :39:29.this motion is supportive of it today. I would wonder whether he
:39:30. > :39:34.would like to be willing for his would like to be willing for his
:39:35. > :39:37.department to meet someone from short lives, perhaps with me. I
:39:38. > :39:43.think it would like to understand the basis of the argument he is made
:39:44. > :39:52.in. -- making. I would appreciate meeting them, with the Noble Lady.
:39:53. > :40:05.As I said, I do really regret what I have had to say. I agree to withdraw
:40:06. > :40:14.the amendment. Amendment 62 C, not moved. Amendment 62 D from the
:40:15. > :40:23.supplementary sheet, not moved. Amendment 63, not moved. Amending 64
:40:24. > :40:28.not moved. The question is that cause one stands, as many of that
:40:29. > :40:37.opinion will say content, the contrary not content. The contents
:40:38. > :40:47.haven't. Amendment 65, not moved. Amendment 66, not moved. Amendment
:40:48. > :40:55.67, not moved. Clause to amendment 68. I have had discussions with the
:40:56. > :41:02.chief, I am not terribly happy about this evening as late as it is,
:41:03. > :41:06.particularly there are a number of colleagues who are severely
:41:07. > :41:10.disabled. They are spending a lot to late hours working on this bill. I
:41:11. > :41:12.am prepared for us to proceed this group of amendments, I would hope
:41:13. > :41:18.that this debate can be relatively short. I hope that colleagues will
:41:19. > :41:26.see the sense that we should not be working this late in the sort of
:41:27. > :41:30.legislation. In response to that remark is, I should say that the
:41:31. > :41:37.order of consideration was in fact designed at the request of the
:41:38. > :41:43.opposition so that those who were disc abled to participate in the
:41:44. > :41:49.debates in the committee at the beginning of business. Disabled. I'd
:41:50. > :41:55.commit today, we had other business, the truth of the matter is, at this
:41:56. > :42:01.point we are still not at a point at which we are going to be starting a
:42:02. > :42:06.business on the third day. Which is amendment 70 two. I do not think it
:42:07. > :42:16.is unreasonable that this house has a tradition, it tries to deliver the
:42:17. > :42:19.business. I understand and I need the support of the opposition in
:42:20. > :42:28.doing that. I believe we should do one more amendment, one more group.
:42:29. > :42:33.Which will take us past the normal hour for taxes. That is not unusual
:42:34. > :42:36.in this house, given the unusual nature of the discussions that have
:42:37. > :42:46.taken place in this bill, I think that is not an unreasonable thing to
:42:47. > :42:54.ask. I hope the Noble Lord, my usual partner is fair to accept that is my
:42:55. > :42:57.decision. We have not reached the conclusion of that target that we
:42:58. > :43:06.set ourselves when we discussed this matter earlier today. My lords, I
:43:07. > :43:12.will attempt to be sustained into the point given the time of day.
:43:13. > :43:24.Nevertheless, this is an important amendment. Moving amendment 68, and
:43:25. > :43:28.referring to the other two. I wanted to set the scene on this, the
:43:29. > :43:38.purpose behind this amendment is to ensure that we do get a proper
:43:39. > :43:45.report back from the government. Taking into account the various
:43:46. > :43:51.aspects of apprenticeships as defined in the amendment. The
:43:52. > :43:54.government is setting themselves a ambitious target of 3 million
:43:55. > :43:57.apprenticeships during the life of this Parliament. The challenge will
:43:58. > :44:02.be to ensure that they sustain quality as well as quantity. In a
:44:03. > :44:06.recent report said that the expansion of apprenticeships has
:44:07. > :44:10.quality programmes that fail to give quality programmes that fail to give
:44:11. > :44:15.young people new skills or better chances at a job. According to the
:44:16. > :44:18.chief inspector of schools, he achieved to some employees of
:44:19. > :44:21.wasting public funds on low-quality schemes that undermine the
:44:22. > :44:33.importance of operations. The recent Channel 4 programme... Poor quality
:44:34. > :44:36.apprenticeships were particularly prevalent in retail, health care,
:44:37. > :44:39.customer service and administration cording to the highly critical
:44:40. > :44:45.report from offset. About 140,000 started apprenticeships in business
:44:46. > :44:50.administration last year and 130,000 began health care apprenticeships.
:44:51. > :44:54.Standards are much higher and the motor vehicle construction and
:44:55. > :45:00.engineering industries, numbers were smaller. So far apprenticeships have
:45:01. > :45:07.not... Smaller businesses are not being involved and there are not
:45:08. > :45:12.advance schemes. Widespread concern has been expressed by business to
:45:13. > :45:26.the introduction of the new training levy. Just also referring to the
:45:27. > :45:33.other amendments, briefly. We are looking to ensure that accurate
:45:34. > :45:42.reporting in the areas of disability, gender, etc. I think an
:45:43. > :45:46.important point about the destination data for those
:45:47. > :45:54.completing apprenticeships. I want to go to touch briefly on amendment
:45:55. > :46:00.69, which just our attention these important situations in relation to
:46:01. > :46:08.people with disabilities under the age of 25 seeking apprenticeships.
:46:09. > :46:13.There are some worrying information there. We know apprenticeships or by
:46:14. > :46:19.excellent route into work for young people disabled people. However too
:46:20. > :46:24.often apprenticeships are inaccessible for it disabled people.
:46:25. > :46:32.The number of disabled apprenticeships has declined from
:46:33. > :46:40.11.5% and 2007-2008, to a .7% in 2014-2015. -- 8.7%. Would like to
:46:41. > :46:44.see further commitments from the government to support more disabled
:46:45. > :47:02.people to participate in a budget -- apprenticeships. When the Noble Lady
:47:03. > :47:06.is was binding -- is responding, what steps is she taking to ensure
:47:07. > :47:09.the quality of apprenticeships and preventing the exploitation of young
:47:10. > :47:11.people recognizing the damage it can cost of the reputation of
:47:12. > :47:17.apprenticeships and the waste of public fundss what step is the
:47:18. > :47:20.government taking to ensure that all schools give career advice on
:47:21. > :47:28.apprenticeships bearing in mind the need to encourage young men and
:47:29. > :47:32.women in minority groups. Bearing in mind that only 5% of youngsters aged
:47:33. > :47:36.16 currently go into an apprenticeship scheme. How is she
:47:37. > :47:40.going to ensure that young people are made aware of their rights to
:47:41. > :47:44.receive proper training and education in a safe working
:47:45. > :47:50.environment? What steps are they expand the participation of small
:47:51. > :47:54.and medium enterprises and apprenticeship schemes given that
:47:55. > :47:58.only about 25% of them currently take on apprenticeships. Are there
:47:59. > :48:03.any plans for the government to expand the use of group training
:48:04. > :48:10.associations and also 18 days? Will be the nature and timetable for the
:48:11. > :48:21.introduction of the new training levy I presume they'll be
:48:22. > :48:37.accompanied by the Cintas two... -- ATA. Can she comment on the future
:48:38. > :48:47.of the United Kingdom's school body? After target inserts the word as
:48:48. > :49:10.printed. I'm delighted that the Noble Lord...
:49:11. > :49:33.She intended to address the barriers faced by disabled people in... And
:49:34. > :49:42.places of duty, can she identify the barriers placed on under 25 disabled
:49:43. > :49:59.people? Can they set out examples of good practice by employees and what
:50:00. > :50:05.are the... Apprenticeships provide a great opportunity for disabled
:50:06. > :50:10.students wanting to regain and get vocational education. For many
:50:11. > :50:18.disabled people this will be the first time they experienced
:50:19. > :50:24.employment and education. My lords, apprenticeships introduced disabled
:50:25. > :50:28.people to the world of work in a supportive learning environment,
:50:29. > :50:38.much needed by young people who face additional barriers? In addition to
:50:39. > :50:52.project are crucial for the governments commitment to... This is
:50:53. > :51:04.a central part of the government. In 2014, disabled rates... It
:51:05. > :51:09.demonstrated through case studies that apprenticeships provide
:51:10. > :51:13.opportunities for young disabled people to secure training for
:51:14. > :51:25.employment, such schemes also helped employers to become disability
:51:26. > :51:36.confidence. Lashio also that this is -- I was referred to... Will they
:51:37. > :51:48.encourage employers to remove the disabled barriers? I am sure that
:51:49. > :52:03.the Noble Lord appreciates in awareness of education. We must also
:52:04. > :52:07.have regular reviews to the process of existing barriers to prevent the
:52:08. > :52:20.same people from accessing apprenticeship opportunities.
:52:21. > :52:30.The requirement for nonspecific industry qualifications to access
:52:31. > :52:40.apprenticeships is a great barrier. It created an exclusive
:52:41. > :52:43.apprenticeship offer, he says" apprentices in LDD learning
:52:44. > :52:48.difficulties and disabilities are often disadvantaged due to the fact
:52:49. > :52:53.that these functional and other qualifications are assessed out of
:52:54. > :52:57.context stop these does an apprentice working to the vocabulary
:52:58. > :53:10.T associate with a particular job may find it is difficult. " there is
:53:11. > :53:13.evidence that a significant number of disabled people especially with
:53:14. > :53:19.learning disabilities are prevented and gaining apprenticeships
:53:20. > :53:24.certificates because they have not passed certain requirements. They
:53:25. > :53:27.could be easily replaced by successful completion of work
:53:28. > :53:31.related requirements such as the relevant industry accepted
:53:32. > :53:35.vocational qualifications. The national voice for lifelong
:53:36. > :53:41.learning, who have been working with the government while apprenticeship
:53:42. > :53:44.placement said" some owners are more than capable of achieving the
:53:45. > :53:47.competence and knowledge based elements of an apprenticeship, but
:53:48. > :53:54.due to their learning difficulty are unable to achieve English and math
:53:55. > :53:57.at the required standard". Until there is a relaxing of this role,
:53:58. > :54:02.disabled learners will continue to be disadvantaged in work and
:54:03. > :54:11.training. In evidence submitted by the alliance for inclusive education
:54:12. > :54:21.on the Equality Act in disability gave an example of a college
:54:22. > :54:27.reluctant to allow students on the course because of the functional
:54:28. > :54:30.skills aspect. This seems to be discriminatory against students with
:54:31. > :54:41.LDD especially one who was working on a level two standard in this
:54:42. > :54:51.vocational subject. I believe such artificial barriers kill industries
:54:52. > :54:55.and they miss out on talented and they stigmatize certain groups of
:54:56. > :55:03.disabled people as unemployable. I was captivated by a TV series
:55:04. > :55:15.recently. A group of disabled people were recruited into an
:55:16. > :55:20.apprenticeship programme. At the end of the apprenticeships, four of the
:55:21. > :55:36.candidates entered the world of work, the programme did not in any
:55:37. > :55:40.way try to be something it was not. Of the experience it was that it was
:55:41. > :55:52.not perfect, and that is the thing. They were given the chance. And they
:55:53. > :55:57.were treated just like they were treated any other apprentices, it
:55:58. > :56:04.worked. It was a privilege to work with these guys. It shows the
:56:05. > :56:12.possibility of disabled people in the hospitality industry. Disabled
:56:13. > :56:27.people have so much potential. Most of the candidates did not have GCS
:56:28. > :56:37.English level grades. Apprenticeship routes provide great opportunities
:56:38. > :56:45.of enabling more disabled old. This aim can only be achieved by having
:56:46. > :56:53.the appropriate information.