Welfare Reform

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (John Hutton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I have today published two papers on welfare reform. In January, the Government published their Command Paper, A new deal for welfare: Empowering people to work. We have conducted a large number of consultation engagements and have received more than 600 separate responses from the public. The report I am publishing today provides a summary of the views that have been expressed. I am grateful to all who have contributed, and our response shows how the policies have developed as a result of the consultation process. The Work and Pensions Select Committee published its report Incapacity Benefits and Pathways to Work in May this year. I am publishing today the Government's response to the conclusions and recommendations of that report. I am grateful to the committee for its work and analysis, which has been an important contribution to the ongoing development of our proposals on incapacity benefits and Pathways to Work, as set out in the consultation response. Our proposals will make a significant contribution to our reforms of the welfare state, balancing rights and responsibilities and providing work for those who can and support for those who cannot. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library and copies are available for honourable Members from the Printed Paper Office.