Minister Helen Goodman
claims she agrees "that the early years of a
child's life are so important" (Letters,
3 December). Yet Labour, with almost 100
women MPs, many calling themselves
feminists, voted on 10 November for benefit
sanctions against single parents of
children aged three upwards, if they
refused "work-related activity". The
"family-friendly" provisions Ms Goodman
takes credit for were won in a knock-down
fight in the Lords spearheaded by carers,
including breastfeeding mothers, and women
with disabilities. Labour already had in
place that mothers with newborns had to
report for "work-focused interviews". We won
exemption from interviews until the child is
one; exemption from work-related activity,
if there is no childcare; and for mothers of
disabled children receiving any care
benefits, among other concessions.
Better-off families can
choose for one parent to stay at home, but
children from low-income families are denied
their right to care from someone who loves
them. Few employers allow flexible working
when teenage children need and deserve
attention. At a recent single parents'
conference, minister
Yvette Cooper heard the profound
problems mothers have of job insecurity, as
well as discrimination against part-time
workers. On top of coping alone with debt,
high rents, stress, children's behavioural
problems, the enforced double day is a
recipe for family breakdown. Professionals
at the conference showed they know these
problems inside out, but they do not protest
publicly.
Kim Sparrow
Single Mothers' Self-Defence
Claire
Glasman WinVisible (women with
visible and invisible disabilities)
_________________________________________________________
• It's ironic that the
day the government announced a blitz on
benefit fraud, our 39-year-old severely
disabled daughter who has very high support
needs received a summons for fraud, with a
substantial penalty charge levied, in
threatening language, from our local
NHS Fraud Office for a prescription from
April. The prescription was ticked in the
appropriate box as free, as she has always
been in receipt of free medication, as
disabled from birth. She has lived at the
same address for 13 years, has not changed
her GP and, unfortunately, is reliant on
several medications that require constant
repeat prescriptions that are ongoing.
Fortunately we, as
parents, are able to challenge this
inexcusable action, that was seemingly made
without any checks on who she was or her
status. Now the "blitz" is being rolled out,
how many other of our most vulnerable and
poorest citizens are going to be treated in
such a way, and traumatised in the run up to
Christmas?
Name and address supplied
_______________________
•How will Tory plans
to slash already inadequate benefits
support people suffering from depression?
H Powell, Alvechurch,
Worcestershire