IDS refuses to publish Universal Credit business case

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Legal, Local Government, Universal Credit

Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne has criticised Iain Duncan Smith for refusing to publish the full plans behind Universal Credit - despite being "peppered" with Freedom of Information requests - adding that the disclosure is vital to “getting the project back on track”.

Mr Duncan Smith, the secretary of state for work and pensions, told MPs on Tuesday that the Government was constantly “reshaping and remodelling” the business case, adding that he didn’t think the Government needed to publish it.

He said: “I was asked earlier about the business case. We are constantly reshaping and remodelling it, and I do not think that we need to publish it. As I said to the right hon. Members for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Liam Byrne) and for East Ham (Stephen Timms), I am happy to discuss any issues surrounding it at any time.”

In the opposition day debate, Mr Duncan Smith was forced to defend claims from Labour that Universal Credit was late and overbudget.

Citing figures from the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR), Byrne said that when Universal Credit is fully rolled out in 2017, the extra costs will be £3.1bn, compared to the Treasury’s estimate of £2.5bn a year.

However, Mr Duncan Smith denied the project was late or overbudget and that the Government was committed to the £2.5bn a year and that the £3.1bn had been an outdated estimate.

He said Labour MP for East Ham Stephen Timms had peppered his department with freedom of information requests, but said it does him and Mr Byrne “ill to lecture us about releasing business cases”.

He said: “When they developed employment and support allowance, a system about as large and complicated as this one—I think that the right hon. Member for East Ham (Stephen Timms) was a minister in the department at the time—at no stage, despite the request, did they ever release their business plan to us.”

Mr Timms said: “I have asked about the publication of the business case. I believe that Ministers will not publish it because it projects that there will be no increase at all in the total number of hours worked as a result of the introduction of Universal Credit. In other words, the whole basis on which this project is being taken forward is flawed.”

Mr Byrne said after the debate: “With our economy in a double dip recession made in Downing Street and just 150 days to go until Universal Credit begins to come in, it is now vital that the Government publishes the full plans so they can start to get to grips with getting this project back on track.”