§ Mrs. BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to introduce a mortgage benefit to enable people with mortgages, who are on income support, to afford to return to work.[2361]
Mr. BradleyWe have no immediate plans to introduce a mortgage benefit. However, this Government is committed to streamlining and modernising the tax and benefit systems to fulfil the objectives of promoting work incentives, reducing poverty and welfare dependency, and strengthening community and family life.
We recently announced that Martin Taylor (the Chief Executive of Barclays PLC) will lead a Whitehall Task Force to look at the problems caused by the interaction of the tax and benefit systems. The review will consider the difficulties people face on moving from welfare to work.