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Lords amendment: No. 5, in page 11, line 1, leave out from "method" to "or" in line 2 and insert
described by reference to a method of calculating or estimating income or capital specified in an enactment other than this section
§ Mr. PortilloI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Paul Dean)With this it will be convenient to discuss Lords amendments Nos. 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13.
§ Mr. PortilloThese are technical amendments intended to make it clear beyond doubt that regulations can set out the test of low income to be used when people apply for help with National Health Service charges by reference to the calculations relating to income support or housing benefit. This ties the regulations to be made under the new section introduced by clause 13, which will include a means test which will partly cross-refer to calculations made for the purpose of income support and of housing benefit, to the applicable amounts for those purposes. The resources rule for income will refer to the calculations under the regulations for the purposes of income support, but they will specify different figures in some cases. On the requirement side, the income support applicable amounts will be taken. An amount will be added on for net housing costs and then a deduction made in respect of housing benefit actually received.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Subsequent Lords amendments agreed to.
§ Lords amendment: No. 8, in page 11, line 25, leave out "and".
§ Mr. PortilloI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
§ Mr. Deputy SpeakerWith this, it will be convenient to take Lords amendments Nos. 9, 10 and 33. This amendment involves privilege.
§ Mr. PortilloA new paragraph (c) has been added to subsection (1) of the new section 75A of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, inserted by clause 13(2). This will enable existing arrangements for the payment of overnight expenses to continue. Those arrangements are needed because of the long journeys which people in some parts of Scotland have to undertake to get treatment.
§ Question put and agreed to. [Special Entry.]
§ Subsequent Lords amendments agreed to. [Some with Special Entry.]