Welfare Reform Bill: Report stage day five update

The first vote (division), Amendment 58D moved by Lord McKenzie of Luton (Labour), to exclude vulnerable people from the cap on benefits was lost by 222 votes to 250.

The second vote, Amendment 59 moved by The Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, to exclude child benefits from the benefit cap was won by 252 votes to 237.

The Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds appealed to the House before the vote: '... child benefit remains one of the great anchors... of the whole way in which we work with children and families.'

He argued that the government had not given any 'real response to the basic point that the bill means that a childless couple has the same cap as a couple with a number of children.'

Referring to speeches by Baroness Butler-Sloss (Crossbench) and Baroness Corston (Labour) he said: 'this amendment is about children and the women and carers who care for those children. It is those who will be helped if noble Lords are prepared to back this amendment.'

• Watch day five of Welfare Reform on Parliament TV
• Read the Lords transcript from day five
• Fifth marshalled list of amendments
• View Lords division results

Tomorrow, Wednesday 25 January, is the sixth day of the Welfare Reform Bill at report stage at the House of Lords.

Catch up on day four (17 January)

Members of the Lords voted 229 to 213, with a government majority of 16, to reject Baroness Grey-Thompson's (Crossbench) amendment proposing a pilot of the new disability payments scheme during the latest round of detailed examination of the Welfare Reform Bill on 17 January.

Lord Freud acknowledged Lord Rix's (Crossbench) amendment for more independent reviews: 'Our revised proposal is that we legislate for two biennial independent reviews within the first four years of the implementation of PIP.'

• Watch day four on Parliament TV
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript from day four
• Fourth marshalled list of amendments
• View Lords division results for the votes

Catch up on day three (Wednesday 11 January)

The Lords rejected proposals by the government on day three Wednesday 11 January and voted to protect cancer patients and disabled people from restrictions on employment support allowance (ESA).

The Lords made three amendments: to extend the proposed one year limit for claiming ESA to a minimum two-year limit; to exempt people receiving cancer treatment from the time limit on receiving ESA.

• Watch day three on Parliament TV
• Read Lords Hansard transcript from day three
• View Lords division results for the votes

Catch up on day two (Wednesday 14 December 2011)

The Welfare Reform Bill completed its second day of report stage on Wednesday 14 December. The Lords successfully challenged the housing costs set by the Government with amendments made by Lord Best and backed by organisations like the national Housing Federation and Shelter.

• Watch day two on Parliament TV
• Read Lords Hansard transcript from day two

Catch up on day one (Monday 12 December 2011)

The first day of report stage was completed on Monday 12 December.

• Watch the debate on Parliament TV
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript
  

Welfare Reform Bill: Key areas

• The bill introduces Personal Independence Payments to replace the current Disability Living Allowance.
• It restricts Housing Benefit entitlement for social housing tenants whose accommodation is larger than needed.
• It will up-rate Local Housing Allowance rates by the Consumer Price Index.
• It amends the forthcoming statutory child maintenance scheme.
• Payment of contributory Employment and Support Allowance is limited to a 12-month period.
• The total amount of benefit that can be claimed will be capped.
  

Catch up on the Welfare Reform Bill

• Read a summary of the Welfare Reform Bill proposals
• See full list of amendments
• Watch the Welfare Reform Bill Grand Committee on Parliament TV
• The conclusive Grand Committee Day
• Welfare Reform Bill Grand Committee, days nine to 14
• Welfare Reform Bill Grand Committee, days one to eight
• Read the Lords Hansard from the final Committee Day 17
• Welfare Reform Bill Second Reading (Tuesday 13 September)

What is the report stage?

Report stage in the Chamber gives all Members of the Lords further opportunity to consider all amendments (proposals for change) to a bill. It usually starts at least 14 days after committee stage. It can be spread over several days (but usually fewer days than at committee stage).

Before report stage takes place

• The day before report stage starts, amendments are published in a Marshalled List – in which all the amendments are placed in order.
• On the day, amendments on related subjects are grouped together and a list (“groupings of amendments”) is published.

What happens at report stage?

• Detailed line by line examination of the bill continues.
• Votes can take place and any Member can take part.

What happens after report stage?

• If the bill is amended it is reprinted to include all the agreed amendments.
• The bill moves to third reading for the final chance for the Lords to debate and amend the bill.

More about the report stage.

Further information

Detailed line by line examination of the separate parts (clauses and schedules) of a bill takes place during report stage.

• Passage of a Bill: report stage
  

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