Member

Before I close, I need to make a couple of important points about Amendments 103 and 113. First, when considering Amendment 103, I remind the House again that the debt recovery powers in the Bill are powers of last resort to be used only with debtors who are not on benefits or in relevant PAYE employment. To be clear, for the record, the DWP’s recovery powers in the Bill cannot be used on people claiming carer’s allowance. They are to be used only on those who receive income via other means and who can afford to repay but refuse to do so. This amendment would put that category of person—those who can afford to pay—in a better position than those who are currently in PAYE, on carer’s allowance or on other benefits. That is because we could use our existing powers to deduct overpayments from wages and benefits but not use the new payments to recover from those who are outside those groups. I do not think that is a desirable situation, and I am sure that is not what the noble Lord, Lord Palmer, intended.