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A series of further amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill are being discussed at the end of the WRB report stage in the House of Lords today.

The two key amendments are as follows:

62BJ

[Re-tabled as Amendment 62BJA]

After Clause 132

BARONESS LISTER OF BURTERSETT

LORD KIRKWOOD OF KIRKHOPE

LORD BLAIR OF BOUGHTON

[In substitution for Amendment 62BJ]

62BJA

Insert the following new Clause—

"Information sharing in relation to the Social Fund.

Before sharing information regarding eligibility for services under section 69(3) of this Act, the Secretary of State shall satisfy himself that the Local Authority is intending to deliver these services in accordance with the purposes set out in the settlement letter that accompanies any payments made from the Consolidated Fund under section 69 and that arrangements have been made to report on the use of these payments."

and

LORD MACKAY OF CLASHFERN

LORD BOSWELL OF AYNHO

BARONESS SHERLOCK

LORD KIRKWOOD OF KIRKHOPE

62C

Page 105, line 11, at end insert—

"(3) In section 6 of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 (provision to allow charging of fees by the Commission), after subsection (2) there is inserted—

"(2A) Nothing in regulations under subsection (1) shall impose a liability on a parent with care for the payment of fees to the Commission where that parent has taken reasonable steps to establish whether it is possible or appropriate to make a maintenance agreement (within the meaning of section 9 of the Child Support Act 1991), and where, having taken such reasonable steps, it is either not possible or not appropriate for the parent with care to do so.""

* Full list here: http://www.lordswhips.org.uk/display/templatedisplay1.asp?sectionid=2

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