§ 12.1 am
§ Mr. Tom Pendry (Stalybridge and Hyde)I beg to ask leave formally to present a petition on behalf of some 1,000 people in my constituency who live on just one housing estate, Hattersley, in the borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester. They are profoundly disturbed at the prospect of changes in the social benefit scheme as a result of proposed legislation currently before the House of Commons.
The petition showeth
That legislation based on the "Reform of Social Security— Programme for Action" White Paper would be extremely detrimental to the residents of the United Kingdom who are in receipt of Social Security benefits. Wherefore your petitioners pray that your Honourable House do not pass legislation arising out of the "Reform of Social Security" White Paper. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.
§ 12.2 am
§ Mr. Michael Meacher (Oldham, West)I beg to present a petition which has been collected in my constituency of Oldham which includes 2,500 signatures. I also have a further batch of petitions which have been collected from all other parts of the country, totalling about 7,500 signatures, making 10,000 in all, from people who are equally concerned about the Social Security Bill. I repeat their words;
Wherefore your petitioners pray that your Honourable House do not pass legislation arising out of the "Reform of Social Security" White Paper.The grounds that the petitioners give for the collection of the signatures and the protest that it represents are that legislation based on the reform of the social security "Programme for Action" White Paper would be extremely detrimental to the residents of the United Kingdom who are in receipt of social security benefit. I would add that that includes those who are in receipt of pensions, housing benefit and child benefit, as well as supplementary benefit.
§ To lie upon the Table.