The way fitness to work tests were implemented was ’an absolute disgrace’, the Health Minister told Tynwald.

Facing criticism herself for planned changes to prescription charges and Meals on Wheels, Kate Beecroft said she still felt emotional at how people had suffered through the personal capability assessments.

Speaking during a debate on a Tynwald scrutiny committee’s report into the operation of the assessments, Mrs Beecroft said: ’I make no hesitation in saying that the way it was dealt with by the previous administration was an absolute disgrace.

’I still feel quite emotional when I remember some of those people, how they suffered at the time and how it has affected them to this day. I will never forgive some of the actions that went on at that time.

’I think what we all need to remember is that it is the people who put us here - people have voted for us to represent them, to care for them and have a duty towards them. The day we stop listening to people’s concerns is the day we should no longer be in government.’

Fitness to work tests for long-term incapacity benefit claimants were first introduced in 2012 as a pilot scheme carried out by Atos Healthcare. A new scheme with Dependability Ltd was launched in 2014 but the contract was terminated in July 2016 when it emerged some tests had not been carried out by a registered healthcare professional.

During that period, some 207 people had been deemed fit to work and had been taken off long-term incapacity benefit.

But concerns were raised about ’tick box’ methods employed in the assessments.

In its report the social affairs policy review committee made a series of recommendations.

It said that while helping people move from sickness benefits into the workplace must remain a high priority, support must be provided from agencies across government and there should be a timely appeals process.

Committee chairman David Cretney MLC told Tynwald: ’The biggest problem, in my view, is with fluctuating conditions such as ME. We heard from a lot of people who said they might be able to walk up a flight of stairs one day, but they could not guarantee to do it every day.’

He added: ’As the report shows, we have seen some success but there have been a lot of mistakes along the way. Today, there is every chance of coming up with something better.’

The Council of Ministers welcomed the report and accepted the system had been imperfect. It said Treasury is committed to finding an alternative that will put the ’good of the customer at its heart’.