The boss of hated benefit assessor Atos was yesterday accused of “living in a parallel universe” after claiming the public was “satisfied” with the job his firm was doing.
Joe Hemming made the claim after being hauled before MPs to explain the firm’s botched handling of the Government’s “work capability assessments” which try to get people off benefits.{jcomments on}
Angry MPs told Mr Hemming thousands of their constituents were still in desperate circumstances because incorrect assessments had stripped them of vital financial support.
Mr Hemming, appearing at the Commons Public Administration Committee, said: “Atos is proud of the work it does.
“We have a real passion for delivering services to the citizen in a way that continues to satisfy the way the citizen wants to be served.”
Labour MP Paul Flynn accused Mr Hemming of suffering from a “reality problem”.
He asked: “Do you live in some kind of bubble somewhere – some kind of parallel universe?”
Mr Flynn added he had been forced to listen to “vacuous nonsense”.
He was joined by Tory and Lib Dems in attacking the firm.
Lib Dem Greg Mulholland said Atos’s name was “severely damaged for good” over their handling of vulnerable claimants.
And Tory MP Robert Halfon said: “You don’t provide good service and there is no redress.”
He said the majority of his constituents thought the service from Atos was “appalling”.
Read the full story in the Mirror
