§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to reinstate the requirement on his Department's officers to promote the welfare of claimants.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe welfare promotion requirement which was appropriate to the discretionary schemes which preceded it was not essential to income support which provides a clearer, more predictable method of directing extra help, through the award of premiums, to groups of people most likely to have extra needs. The Department was thus able to develop a prompt, accurate and effectively-run income maintenance system. The Benefits Agency includes customer care as the primary core value in its operations. At a local level, managers are committed to consulting their customers to establish their needs and expectations for service delivery and responding accordingly. We have no plans to alter the current provisions.