Welfare reform bill -- live discussion.

(From Guardian Unlimited)

1.03pm: The Guardian's social affairs leader writer Tom Clark has published an excellent overview of the critical issues being debated in the Lords over the next fortnight.

In his comment for tomorrow's Society pages the points out that the Lords will consider three important issues tomorrow alone: the time limiting of Employment and Support allowance (ESA); the issue of whether disabled children enter adulthood with little chance of working should qualify automatically for ESA; and the scrapping of the social fund.

He points out that the Lords are the last barrier protecting impoverished and disabled people from the battery of financial blows contained in the bill. On ESA time limiting Tom writes:

Even for those who pass the eye-watering stringent medical …