Employment Incentives (Hansard, 25 May 1976)

§ 13. Mr. Cope
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ensure that it pays to work.

§ Mr. Deakins
The question of financial incentives to work is a highly complex one, involving wage levels, taxation, social security benefits and other benefits, such as rent and rate rebates. We are keeping this question under review.

§ Mr. Cope
Are this scroungers' Government so insulated from the anger of people who do a good day's work that they do not realise that such waffle and such policies make it more difficult to have compassion in a geniune case?

§ Mr. Deakins
The hon. Gentleman should recognise that the vast majority of unemployed people in this country want to work. It is a matter of much greater public concern that we should be losing the productive capacity of the large number of people who are unemployed and who want to work. That is what should be troubling the hon. Gentleman.

§ Mr. Cryer
On a point of order Mr. Speaker. During Question Time one Opposition Member made a claim about scroungers on social security. May I ask you to rule whether such Members should declare their interests, so that, when they are receiving £5,750 a year at the taxpayers' expense and scrounging fees from directorships and/or parliamentary adviserships, people outside—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. It is quite clear that that is not a point of order. It is a debating point.