Government welfare reforms unworkable and lack compassion

12.00.00am GMT Wed 10th Dec 2008

Commenting on Government proposals to reform benefits, which could compel lone parents with children as young as one take up work, or face a cut in payment, Prospective Liberal Democrat MP Paul Harrod said:

"These proposals are deeply flawed. Forcing lone parents actively to seek work when their children are very young lacks compassion and shows no understanding of how important the early years of a child's life are. Parents will end up taking insecure and low-paying jobs and struggling to find affordable child-care.

"Of course all people should be given every incentive to find work. But this Government's approach is all stick and no carrot.

"Nor are the jobs available at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are being made redundant.

"If the Government really wanted to incentivise more lone parents to go back to work it has to invest more money in providing better childcare and in pushing ahead with its, recently dropped pledge, to make free nursery places available for all two year olds."