Latest News About England: Delighted IDS misses school trip

lunes, 24 de febrero de 2014

Delighted IDS misses school trip | Esther Addley's sketch

The work and pensions secretary can be riled by opponents in the Commons, but there was a detectable bounce to his step

In the manner of the royal progresses of the court of Queen Elizabeth I, or perhaps a reunion roadshow by a Showaddywaddy tribute band, the government went on tour on Monday.

Their destination: Scotland! More specifically, the rich bit near Aberdeen, where David Cameron flew to an oil rig, Michael Gove rediscovered his Caledonian accent and the cabinet met to agree that the North Sea's oil and gas reserves would be much safer under a still-united kingdom.

Scotland's first minister Alex Salmond, in response, mustered his own forces and marched to a nearby hilltop, or rather led his cabinet by minibus to a small church hall in the nearby town of Portlethen. We can be grateful that ripostes to incomers are delivered these days in the form of counter-announcements about oil and gas innovation, rather than lifting one's kilt and baring one's backside, but the intent was not dissimilar.

It was left to the prime minister's spokesman to answer questions over whether Cameron – revealed by the Times to have a questionable genealogical link to the Macduff who, in Shakespeare's play, kills Macbeth – would be visiting his ancestral seat. The prime minister was more interested in oil and gas policy, said the spokesman.

Back in the rump parliament of Westminster, Iain Duncan Smith was doing his best to disguise his delight at not having to go on the school trip. The work and pensions secretary can sometimes find himself easily riled by opponents in the chamber, leading to a testy defensiveness, but there was a detectable bounce to his step as he rose to the dispatch box. To Labour's Chris Bryant, who claimed the small numbers so far receiving universal credit meant the cost per claimant was £191,250 per person, Duncan Smith boomed: "His maths is so pathetic as to make it risible!"

Rachel Reeves, Duncan Smith's opposite number, said that a freedom of information request had revealed the number overpaying the "cruel and hated" bedroom tax was not 3,000-5,000, as IDS had previously told the House, but at least 21,500.

"Sorting this out is the right thing to do. Shame on a government who did nothing for those in greatest difficulty!" replied IDS.

Having rather less fun was Mike Penning, the disabilities minister, whose lot is to respond to a parade of MPs from all sides outlining the cases of sick or disabled constituents who have waited many months to be assessed for benefits by the contracted private companies Atos and Capita.

Yes, the situation was a mess, conceded Penning, who manages the tricky balancing act of mounting a robust defence of his government's efforts to put things right while conveying a genuine concern for those affected.

"There are internal DWP processes that are taking too long. The assessment is taking too long, and it is also the case that some claimants are taking too long to return the forms that have been sent to them. We are working on this with both providers, and we will get there."

Dame Anne Begg, who represents Aberdeen South, speculated that the junior minister was at least privileged to be at the dispatch box instead of attending the "clash of the cabinets" in her part of the world. Penning may not have been so sure.

Esther Addley