HC Deb 08 February 1999 vol 325 cc13-5
9. Mr. Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire)

What increase in his Department's budget he expects between financial years 1997–98 and 2001–02 attributable to decisions made since 1 May 1997. [68014]

The Secretary of State for Social Security (Mr. Alistair Darling)

Social security spending is growing at less than half the rate under the previous Parliament. Our plans are prudent and address the real needs of families and the poorest pensioners.

Mr. Lansley

Does the Secretary of State understand that I am disappointed that, in his answer, he did not recognise that social security spending will rise by £37 billion in the next three years? Will he confirm that about one third of that increase is directly attributable to Government decisions since May 1997? Will he further recognise that that runs directly counter to the Government's manifesto promise that they would break the spiral of escalating spending on social security"?

Mr. Darling

I am delighted to help the hon. Gentleman. I can confirm that, of the increase in spending, some £12 billion will go towards supporting pensioners, some £7 billion will go towards supporting disabled people and carers and a further £7 billion will go to families and children, with a record increase in child support. If he is telling us that the Conservatives are against all those things, I am sure that pensioners, disabled people, their carers and families with young children will begin to wonder what on earth the Conservative party is all about.

Social security spending is now growing at half the rate that it was under the last Parliament over which the Conservatives presided. We are getting the social security system under control. We are tightening the gateways to benefit; we are tightening our offensive against fraud. We are cutting the bills of economic failure, which we promised to do in our manifesto, and getting more people into work. What we have is a modern, effective and manageable social security system. At the same time, we are helping the most vulnerable people in society, whom the Conservatives neglected for years.

Fiona Mactaggart (Slough)

Would the Secretary of State like to explain the difference between the proportion of the social security budget that is being spent on failure and joblessness, and the proportion that was spent under the previous Government? How have our policies shifted that proportion?

Mr. Darling

My hon. Friend makes an important point. If people follow the exchange of questions, it will be increasingly obvious that the Conservative party has little interest in doing anything to help people to get off benefit and into work. We have announced a range of proposals. The single gateway into the benefit system will mean that, for the first time, everyone of working age will come through a gateway and be advised on how to get back into work, as well as to their entitlement if they are not able to work. We attach considerable importance to doing that because that is the way in which to cut the bills of economic failure. By doing that, we can do far more for those who need security and who look to the Government to help them.

Mr. Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire)

Has the Secretary of State had a chance yet to study the recent work by the London school of economics, which examines the hitherto unknown proportion of people who are above the age of 55, are out of work and can be helped back into work by sensible targeting of the new welfare-to-work proposals? If there are some extra pockets of money that he can find, will he give priority to trying to help that group of the population into work? The LSE's work shows that much can be done to try to help that cohort of the population.

Mr. Darling

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. Many people over 50 are capable of work, but sometimes find themselves out of work, and they are beginning to wonder whether life has passed them by. The Government attach considerable importance to ensuring that everyone who can work does so. We shall look at what further action we can take to encourage not only that group of people, but others to get into work.

Mr. Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green)

Will the right hon. Gentleman admit that the point, quite simply, is that the Government were elected on a pledge—in which the Prime Minister was to the forefront—to cut social security spending? The Prime Minister made the pledge not once, but two or even three times. Now, we notice that Ministers never want to repeat the pledge, as they are clearly failing to keep it. Surely the admission that, next year, as a direct result of the Government's activities, social security expenditure is likely to rise by about 4 per cent. explains why Ministers are scrabbling round, trying to tax child benefit and penalise married couples—who have declared an obvious relationship and who will suffer directly as a result of the Government's policies. Will the right hon. Gentleman now admit that, by increasing spending, the Government have changed the policies that they promised, during the general election, to pursue? Ministers have admitted the increase, and they have failed in their pledge.

Mr. Darling

The hon. Gentleman knows that he is quite wrong about that. He was at it again this morning, on the "Today" programme. Half what the Department of Social Security spends goes on pensioners; about 10 per cent. goes on families and children; and about a quarter goes to sick and disabled people. At the general election, we said that we would cut the bills of economic failure, and we are doing that. At the general election, we promised that we would do more for pensioners, and we are doing that. We also said that we would do more to support families and children, and we are doing that with a record child benefit increase. We also said at the general election that we would do more to help sick and disabled people, and their carers. Later today, my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office will be making a statement on that matter, to deliver yet another manifesto promise.

The point—I appreciate that Conservative Members find it difficult to understand—is that this Labour Government have kept each and every one of our promises. We have a social security system that is manageable, affordable and equipped to meet the needs of the United Kingdom, both now and in the future. Conservative Members will just have to face up to that fact. If they disagree with what we are doing, let them tell us whether they want to cut pensions, support for families or support for the disabled. If they cannot answer that question, they really should keep quiet.