Warning on benefit reform

She added: "The announcement that the Government will effectively push the unemployed into employment could turn out to be a very costly and impossible vision.

"Any back-to-work schemes will only be successful if work is available. The Government must embark upon programmes that will see work schemes develop over the next few years if they are serious about assisting people back to work.

"The Government must take a long-term look at assistance and work schemes as it is impossible for unemployment to be reduced overnight by the production of policy papers.

"When Margaret Ritchie was Minister for Social Development she warned her UK counterpart about looking for quick fixes and forcing the unemployed and their families into extremely difficult situations. The current Minister for Social Development, Alex Attwood, will seek to ensure that the most vulnerable are not unfairly penalised and targeted by the coalition Government.

"The fact is that jobs are increasingly scarce especially in the current climate of economic decline, therefore this policy will simply lead to more pressure being applied to the unemployed and Social Security staff to achieve the unattainable.

"This policy could effectively punish the vulnerable if they fail to find work in a climate where there are little jobs. I fear that some of the most vulnerable within society could have their benefits permanently removed by this policy in its outworkings, and furthermore children being left exposed to increase levels of poverty."