During yesterdays Parliamentary debate, CABx and WRUs came in for some praise from 2 Tory MPs, and (finally) from James Plaskitt, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Work and Pensions:

Mr. Richard Benyon (Newbury) (Con): They can do that by making the system easy to understand, by improving the training and morale of those within the organisations that monitor benefits, and by creating a much more level playing field for applicants, giving professional advice and assistance to organisations such as citizens advice bureaux, which do such a fantastic job in constituencies such as mine in guiding people through the morass of paperwork. 13 Oct 2005 : Column 507

Mr. Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con): To achieve a balance, however, I want to pay tribute, as did my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. Benyon), to the work done by citizens advice bureaux in assisting people who get into difficulties with the assessment of their benefits. There is no question that, where errors arise, it causes immense frustration among some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Such people often have to rely on citizens advice bureaux for whatever help they can get. I have received representations from the citizens advice bureau in Bridgnorth, which tried to help elderly pensioners on modest incomes who were struggling with the various assessments made of them and greatly feared having to repay overpayments. It is important to improve standards of benefit assessment in order to allay such anxieties. 13 Oct 2005 : Column 509

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. James Plaskitt): The hon. Gentleman rightly praised the work of citizens advice bureaux and I am happy to add my praise to his. As well as the CAB, other voluntary organisations, such as welfare rights groups, work hard for no reward to help people deal with the benefit system. They do extremely valuable work. 13 Oct 2005 : Column 514

For a record of the debate, see Combating benefit fraud from Hansard.