Member

The reviewer in this clause will have the duty to review the use of the sharp-end powers of the Bill, exercised in the real world and affecting real people. They must be subject to proper, independent scrutiny. While I have sympathy with the Minister’s practical concerns, this Bill is not just for the present moment; it will shape the framework for years to come, which chimes with some points that the noble Lord, Lord Vaux, made in the previous group. We should not exempt the DWP from the same level of accountability as every other body simply because, for now, it finds oversight inconvenient.