I WATCHED two worlds collide at Westminster, as Maria Miller, to public fury, tried to wriggle off the hook of her eyepopping expenses claims.

You all know about the Culture Secretary, her “second home” – where her parents lived – and the £5,800 of taxpayers’ cash she must repay, mysteriously knocked down from £45,000.

And you no doubt caught her “apology”, all 31 seconds of it, the “am I bovvered” one with all the humility of Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho when sent to the stands by the ref.

But, on the same day as that disgraceful spectacle, rather fewer people caught a glimpse into a much harsher world, lived in by people without Mrs Miller’s privileges.

This was a debate on the brutal sanctions imposed on benefit claimants who fail to meet ever-stricter rules – plunging many into “destitution”.

I was struck by an example given by Durham North MP Kevan Jones, about a 17- year-old working, on a zero-hours contract, at a store in Gateshead’s MetroCentre.

This teenager turned up to work, was told there was no work, paid another bus fare to get home – only to be asked to come back for two hours that afternoon.

Mr Jones said: “If he had said that he could not do that, he would be sanctioned as one who was not trying hard enough. For the Government, the issue is a job at any cost.”

But many – far worse – examples were given to ministers, including: 􀁧 A man with learning difficulties turned away from a job centre after arriving early.

He then returned two minutes late to sign on – and was docked four weeks’ jobseekers’ allowance (JSA).

􀁧 A woman with cervical cancer whose benefits were cut to £28-a-week after she missed an appointment – because she was in hospital.

􀁧 An epileptic man stripped of JSA for four weeks because he missed an appointment when his two-year-old daughter was ill – despite alerting his training provider in advance.

There were many more such examples, most given by Labour veteran Michael Meacher, who spoke of the very real suffering being caused. He told ministers: “The number of people being driven into destitution by administrative diktat is enormous.”

Now, of course, Mrs Miller has gone – gone to spend more time in the £1.2m Tudor barn conversion she bought with the help of her expenses loot.

The Prime Minister stood by her, insisting there was no story and no scandal, and only acted to force her resignation when the headlines got too awful.

If only similar indulgence was shown to the 52,000 out-of-work people who had their benefits docked in just eight months across the North-East and North Yorkshire.

Of course, there must be punishments for genuinely dodging work, but not for the reasons outlined above – sending these poor people to emergency food banks.

MEET Nigel Mills, Conservative MP for Amber Valley, in Derbyshire – who may wish to tread carefully on any visit to Newton Aycliffe.

Asked about the town’s train-building factory, Mr Mills replied: “I support Bombardier and want it to get rail contracts.

“I am sure it is great news for the North- East that Hitachi has chosen to do that.

However, Bombardier is a far better maker of trains – Bombardier clearly has the trump card.”