Incapacity benefit

Many people claiming Incapacity Benefit have the little understood autism spectrum of disabilities. One can only conclude that people with less obvious disabilities than the Conservative leader's own son are in for a hard time should the Tories win the next General Election.

This Government has a stick and carrot policy in getting people off Incapacity Benefit and into work.

The Tories are trying to put clear water between themselves and Labour by having a stick-only policy.

The best way to protect against fraudulent claims would be to get claimants to spend one night in a residential assessment centre where they would be thoroughly medically examined, given intelligence tests and assessed to see how they would cope in the workplace.

The question to be asked when a claim is made for Incapacity Benefit is not does he or she want to work, but does the disability prevent them doing tasks they would have to perform in the workplace.

Modern industry requires more flexibility from its workforce than ever before, and that rules out the employment of many people with disabilities.

Peter J Brown, Middlesbrough.