Tory MP Claire Perry has rejected the protests by church leaders that government cuts have removed the safety net for benefit claimants and boosted the use of food banks.
And she has told church leaders, led by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, a newly appointed Catholic cardinal, to set their own house in order before complaining to politicians.
“There is nothing moral about leaving our debts to the next generation to pay off or running an out-of-control welfare system,” she declares in her weekly local newspaper column, which also appears on her website.
“Perhaps church leaders should spend more time getting their own house in order so that the careers of female clergy are not longer blocked by an antiquated glass ceiling.”
Mrs Perry is following in the footsteps of Prime Minister David Cameron in dismissing the views of religious leaders, which have also been backed by the Trussell Trust, the Salisbury-based charity that runs 400 food banks across the country.
“The past week has seen more debate around welfare reform and food banks with comments made by the new Cardinal Nichols and a letter signed by Anglican bishops about the alleged impact of benefit reforms,” writes Mrs Perry.
“While I always welcome contributions from church leaders, I think it is important that arguments against benefit reforms are first, based on facts and, second, are viewed in the context of the tens o billions of pounds taxpayers spend on supporting people who are in need.”
She praises the government’s actions in capping total benefits at the national average level of £26,000 per family, one that is higher than the average income earned by those living in her Devizes constituency.
And she adds: “Since the election, delays and errors in benefit payments have dropped substantially and now more than 90 per cent of benefits are paid accurately and on time, while the new Universal Credit which we are implementing will combined the dozens of confusing and over-lapping benefit streams into one single payment and will be structured to ensure that work always pays.
“We are also implementing reforms to disability payments so those who quite rightly need higher levels of financial support get what they need, while those who can work and have been left to exist on disability payments for years without ever being assessed, are helped back into the workplace and given the dignity and security of a regular pay cheque.”
On the question of food banks, Mrs Perry, who is a government assistant whip, declares: “As the head of the Oxford food bank said last week, food banks have always been with us and perform a hugely valuable role.
“The reasons that people use them are complex but rooted in ongoing problems of low income, indebtedness and family or personal crises which are not simply sorted out overnight.
“And to try to politicise the existence of food banks or to link their use to overdue and important benefit reforms is disingenuous at best.”
