HC Deb 13 June 1966 vol 729 cc1146-7

Question proposed, That the Clause stand part of the Bill.

Miss Quennell

I wish to voice my usual protest at the wording of the Clause. This innocuous and harmless Clause consists of only four lines: Where it appears to the Commission reasonable in all the circumstances they may determine that benefit shall be paid to a person by way of a single payment to meet an exceptional need. The Clause merely empowers the Commission to hand a person a lump sum in the form of benefit where in all the circumstances this appears to be reasonable to the Commission. In this wide world it is very difficult to find a reasonable man or a reasonable woman. What appears reasonable to me will appear most unreasonable to other people. What the Commission will regard as reasonable will be regarded as most unreasonable by interested parties.

At this point it is appropriate to pay a tribute to the wonderful work done in difficult circumstances by the officers and officials of the National Assistance Board. The work which they did in the performance of their duty was often regarded as unreasonable by many of our constituents. The servants of the Board carried out their duties with tact, discretion, skill, care, humanity and kindness.

The Commission's power under the Clause will become widely known. Many people will not seek to take advantage of it, but there will be many others who will. We are not all angels. Many people will learn that the Commission has the power to hand over a lump sum. A lump sum is a most attractive and desirable thing to acquire. The Commission, in pursuance of its duty, will many times have to refuse reasonable applications and will thus appear in a poor light to applicants and will attach to itself much of the approbrium with which the National Assistance Board was regarded.

As a member of the lowest form of legal life—an unpaid, acting justice of the peace—I am confronted all too often with the word "reasonable" in legislation. This word bedevils our efforts all too often. I should like to see the word excluded from all Bills.

Mr. Harold Davies

On behalf of the Government and of the Opposition, I thank the hon. Lady for the courteous and generous way in which she expressed a tribute to those who have worked with the National Assistance Board, irrespective of what Government might have been in power. All of us with experience in our constituencies for many years know how difficult the task of the Board's officers is and what a good job of work they do.

On many occasions over the years I have joined the hon. Lady in Committee upstairs in rolling the beautiful euphemistic word "reasonable" on the tip of my tongue. The hon. Lady spoke about the distribution of lump sums. The Clause merely enables the Commission to make a lump sum payment to meet an exceptional need when it considers that it is justified. It is a different thing from the Determination of Needs Regulations. We have all been glad of the opportunity to inform a constituent who has been in trouble that there are occasions when a single exceptional payment can be made to meet an emergency. This power is here and it will be used as generously and wisely as it was in the past. With that explanation, I hope the hon. Lady will be satisfied.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.