§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they considered the Income-Related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 6) Regulations (SI 1994, No. 3061), tabled on 1 December, to be so urgent that it was inexpedient to refer them to the Social Security Advisory Committee.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish)A Court of Appeal judgment delivered on 30 November 1994 reversed a long-standing policy intention on entitlement to the severe disability premium in income support. The judgment entailed a benefit cost estimated at £90 million a year, and resulted in anomalous entitlement conditions. It was therefore deemed necessary to restore the original policy intention immediately by laying the amendment regulations before Parliament on 1 December 1994.
The Social Security Advisory Committee, under Section 173 (1)(b) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, has now decided that it does not wish to have the regulations referred to it.