By STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

THE UK Work and Pension secretary has been invited to Glasgow and asked to observe a DWP work capability assessment.

David Gauke, the minister in charge of social security, admitted he had not before sat through an assessment, which have been the subject of complaints across the country that people are deemed fit to work when they are not.

Mr Gauke was asked by Glasgow East SNP MP, David Linden, when he last sat through such an assessment to be told he had never seen one take place.

Mr Linden said he was “astounded” that as the case and said he gets complaints about the process from people in the east end almost every day.

He said people previously considered permanently unfit to work were now being declared fit to work.

He said constituents of his had been treated “very poorly” by the assessment process. which he said people previously deemed unfit long term were “miraculously” fit to work.

Mr Linden said: “I must say, I am astounded that David Gauke has been a Government Minister for seven years, heads up the Department of Work & Pensions, and hasn’t even bothered to take the time to understand how a Work Capability Assessment operates.

“If he did, he would see the sheer misery and distress they cause to some of the most vulnerable people in our city.”

Mr Gauke told the Glasgow East MP, during questions in the House of Commons, he had not been at an assessment.

He said: “We have made reforms to work capability assessment process. Those with severe disabilities no longer need to be re-assessed in the same way.”

He said in his role as a constituency MP he was aware of the issues raised.

He added: “I recognise the concerns that exist but also I recognise there isn’t as yet any consensus on how work capability assessment should be reformed.”

Mr Linden said he will be setting up a meeting with constituents with direct experience and with people who regularly offer support and advice to claimants who have gone through the process.

He said: “I want to convene a roundtable meeting with constituents, the Citizens Advice Bureau and local advocacy workers who can explain to Mr Gauke in their own words how utterly flawed this process is.

“For a Government Minister to sit in Whitehall executing policy decisions and not see their devastating impact is utterly untenable. The Secretary of State can redeem himself, though and accept my invitation to sit in on a Work Capability Assessment – I very hope he’ll take that opportunity.”

Figures show that around 60% of decisions declaring people fit to work, often when a GP has said they person is not, are overturned on appeal.

The system of assessment has been criticised as being unfair and set up to get people off benefits.

Previously the Welfare Reform Committee at the Scottish Parliament heard of people being declared fit to work because they are are able to demonstrate they could lift and carry an empty cardboard box from one end on a room to another.