😢 Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme (Report)

Commons Chamber

🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

Liam Conlon introduced a Bill aimed at ensuring that payments from Ireland’s Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme are not counted against UK survivors’ benefits. The scheme compensates survivors of the horrific abuses in Irish mother and baby homes, yet many in the UK fear losing their financial support if they accept the payments. Conlon highlighted the story of Philomena Lee, whose experience in these homes was dramatized in an Oscar-nominated film, to underline the urgency and importance of the Bill. The Bill, dubbed “Philomena’s law,” seeks to deliver justice by ringfencing compensation, preventing further hardship for survivors.

Summary

  • Liam Conlon introduced a bill to prevent payments from Ireland’s Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme from affecting UK benefits.

  • The bill, named ‘Philomena’s law’, aims to disregard these payments for taxation, means-tested social security, and social care capital limits.

  • Philomena Lee’s story was highlighted, where she was forced to give up her son at a mother and baby home in Ireland, later popularized by the film “Philomena.”

  • The scheme, launched in March 2022, aims to compensate survivors of the harsh conditions in mother and baby homes in Ireland, but many survivors in the UK are hesitant to apply due to potential loss of benefits.

  • Only 5% of eligible survivors in the UK have applied to the scheme, deterred by the risk of losing financial support.

  • A survivor from the north of England shared her dilemma of wanting to use compensation to visit a half-brother in America but being unable to due to benefit concerns.

  • The proposed bill seeks to introduce an indefinite capital disregard, similar to those for the 7/7 bombings and Windrush scheme victims, to protect survivors’ benefits.

  • Various organizations supporting Irish survivors in Britain were acknowledged for their efforts.

  • The bill’s first reading was completed, with a second reading scheduled for March 28.

Divisiveness

The transcript of the parliamentary session shows a high level of agreement and support for the motion presented by Liam Conlon. The entire session is dedicated to the introduction of the ‘Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme (Report)’ Bill, with no other MPs presenting counterarguments or showing dissent. The motion is described in detail with examples like Philomena Lee’s story used to underscore the need for the bill, but there is no recorded opposition or debate that would indicate disagreement. The session concludes with the question being put and agreed to unanimously, as indicated by the statement ‘Question put and agreed to,’ followed by the ordering of the presentation of the Bill. This lack of any recorded disagreement or debate results in a low disagreement rating of 1 on a scale of 1 to 5.