There was a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Disability in the commons on the 16th March.

With the third reading of the Welfare reform bill in the House on the 17th March.  The meeting comprised of three presentations from RNID, Disability Benefits Consortium and RADAR.

The topics were the limitations of the bill as presented. Concern was raised about the fact that much of the implementation of the bill relies on secondary legislation. 

There was much made of inconsistencies within the bill and none of the proposed changes or caveats that ministers had previously discussed with the group.

The profit orientated approach of third party providers of job agencies rose many concerns not least that these for profit agencies might "cherry pick" candidates that they knew they could place to the detriment of those more complex to place.

It was noted that comparing the Incapacity Benefit Personal Capability Assessment (PCA) with the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) outcomes. 12% few people passed the WCA that would have passed the PCA.  That the WCA is under review after just six months of operation. It is expected that this will add another 8% to those that would have qualified for Incapacity Benefit.  

A major concern as this is being done prior to the migration of existing Incapacity Benefit to Employment & Support Allowance, via the WCA test, over the next few years.

The group as well as suggesting amendments to the bill to the members of the Lords Present, hopes to meet with the Secretary of State to further raise these issues and seek some clarity.

Prior to this meeting new officers were elected. The Rt. Hon. Lord Ashley of Stoke for many years Chair of the group had resigned and was elected President of the Group.