'Benefit cuts would break promise to disabled people'

FORMER Welfare Minister, Birkenhead's Labour MP Frank Field, yesterday criticised the Government's Welfare Reform plans regarding disability benefits.

"The Government has already lost the argument and doesn't deserve to carry its cuts in disability benefits.

"The cuts strike against the Government's claims to be central to its reform strategy - to encourage work and savings."

Outspoken Mr Field, who resigned as Minister of Welfare Reform, adds: "The cuts undermine the strategy of reform laid out in the original Green Paper, which was to build welfare around the principle of contract. The cuts break the specific promise to disabled people that any social security savings would come from helping disabled people find work and not from cutting entitlement.

"The Prime Minister says he is striking at the 'something for nothing' society. This bill is an attack on the 'something for something' society. People who have kept a contract for up to 30 years will now find themselves denied benefit. This is not what most people would regard as offering people a greater confidence in contract between them and Government."

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