CONFERENCE: Harper denies Tory benefit scare tactic

From Paul Carter in Manchester

Disabled people who are genuinely unable to work have nothing to fear from the Conservatives Party’s welfare reform proposals, a shadow minister has told Disability Now.

Mark Harper, shadow minister for disabled people, strongly stated at a fringe event at the party’s conference in Manchester that those disabled people unable to work would not be expected to.

He said: “I know you’ve run this line before; that we just want to scare a load of people.

“If all we were doing was testing people on Incapacity Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance saying a percentage of them we didn’t think were eligible and moving them onto Jobseekers Allowance and that’s it, you would be right to characterise it the way you have.”

He added: “The whole point of this program is that it will provide them [those people on Incapacity Benefit who are able to work] with the help and support they need to get them back into work.

“If that wasn’t being provided, you’re point would be correct, but the whole point of this process is that will be provided which gives them the opportunity of a better life, not being in a group that are poorer, and giving them the same opportunities as everybody else.”

He went on to say that people should view the proposals as an opportunity rather than something to be afraid.

However, a spokeswoman for Shaw Trust, an organisation that helps disabled people into employment, said that while the charity broadly welcomed much of the content of the proposals, “we feel strongly that an opportunity to talk about fairness was missed.”

She said: “While we welcome a streamlined approach to the benefits system and the rationalisation of employment programmes, we are disappointed that this rationalisation is not backed up with a tough message to employers that they must do the right thing to make workplaces accessible and inclusive.
 
“We would criticise Conservative plans to target people on Incapacity Benefit. We know that most people on Incapacity Benefit want to work and singling them out or suggesting that they are not willing to work is unfair and misleading and further stigmatises a vulnerable group.”