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Welfare changes are fair, says Cameron | Welfare changes are fair, says Cameron |
(40 minutes later) | |
Prime Minister David Cameron has said welfare changes are "right and fair" and challenged Labour to support the government's benefit cap plan. | Prime Minister David Cameron has said welfare changes are "right and fair" and challenged Labour to support the government's benefit cap plan. |
The £26,000-a-year cap is one of seven areas on which the Welfare Reform Bill has suffered defeats in the Lords. | The £26,000-a-year cap is one of seven areas on which the Welfare Reform Bill has suffered defeats in the Lords. |
The bill has now returned to the Commons as ministers say they are determined to get their plans through. | The bill has now returned to the Commons as ministers say they are determined to get their plans through. |
Labour say they support the benefit cap in principle - but want changes to the way it is implemented. | Labour say they support the benefit cap in principle - but want changes to the way it is implemented. |
The party's position on the cap - equivalent to the average salary of a working household - came under attack at Prime Minister's Questions. | The party's position on the cap - equivalent to the average salary of a working household - came under attack at Prime Minister's Questions. |
Mr Cameron repeatedly pressed Labour Leader Ed Miliband to say whether he would support the government, on what ministers say is a plan that has a lot of public support, accusing him of "complete silence" on the issue. | Mr Cameron repeatedly pressed Labour Leader Ed Miliband to say whether he would support the government, on what ministers say is a plan that has a lot of public support, accusing him of "complete silence" on the issue. |
At the weekend, Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said Labour would not be supporting the cap as it stood - because of concerns that it would force many families out of their homes. | At the weekend, Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said Labour would not be supporting the cap as it stood - because of concerns that it would force many families out of their homes. |
He said the party would instead push for a local cap on benefits - to vary across the country and reflect different housing benefit rates - rather than one £500-a-week/£26,000-a-year cap across England, Scotland and Wales. | He said the party would instead push for a local cap on benefits - to vary across the country and reflect different housing benefit rates - rather than one £500-a-week/£26,000-a-year cap across England, Scotland and Wales. |
The cap is just one of seven areas where peers voted against the government. | The cap is just one of seven areas where peers voted against the government. |
MPs are now debating whether to back amendments made by peers, or throw them out - re-introducing aspects of the proposed legislation rejected by peers. | MPs are now debating whether to back amendments made by peers, or throw them out - re-introducing aspects of the proposed legislation rejected by peers. |
The government says it intends to overturn the following measures agreed by the Lords: | The government says it intends to overturn the following measures agreed by the Lords: |
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The government suffered its latest defeat on Tuesday when a coalition of crossbench and Labour peers - supported by two Conservatives and seven Lib Dems - voted to limit a proposed reduction to the lower rate of the "disabled child element" of Child Tax Credits. | The government suffered its latest defeat on Tuesday when a coalition of crossbench and Labour peers - supported by two Conservatives and seven Lib Dems - voted to limit a proposed reduction to the lower rate of the "disabled child element" of Child Tax Credits. |
A crossbench amendment tabled by Baroness Meacher calling for the lower rate to be at least two-thirds of the value of the higher rate - which ministers want to raise to £77 a week - was passed by 16 votes. | A crossbench amendment tabled by Baroness Meacher calling for the lower rate to be at least two-thirds of the value of the higher rate - which ministers want to raise to £77 a week - was passed by 16 votes. |
The government says it wants to target support at the children with the highest care needs - and say there will be transitional protection so those already in receipt of the benefit will not lose money. | The government says it wants to target support at the children with the highest care needs - and say there will be transitional protection so those already in receipt of the benefit will not lose money. |
But SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie said at prime minister's questions it would hit working people facing severe financial difficulties - and could cost them over £1,300 a year. | But SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie said at prime minister's questions it would hit working people facing severe financial difficulties - and could cost them over £1,300 a year. |
Mr Byrne says Labour was determined to force the government to change the bill. | Mr Byrne says Labour was determined to force the government to change the bill. |
"Welfare to work needs jobs - and this bill doesn't create a single one," he said. | "Welfare to work needs jobs - and this bill doesn't create a single one," he said. |
"Instead it cuts support for people trying to do the right thing, like mums trying to go back to work and families trying to save, and quite frankly it crosses a line of basic British decency." | "Instead it cuts support for people trying to do the right thing, like mums trying to go back to work and families trying to save, and quite frankly it crosses a line of basic British decency." |
Ministers say the public backs the principle of not paying any household more in benefits than the average weekly wage of working families. | Ministers say the public backs the principle of not paying any household more in benefits than the average weekly wage of working families. |