§ 1. Mr. MacGregorasked the Secretary of State for Employment what monitoring his Department does of the administration of unemployment benefits carried out by its offices.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. John Golding)Stringent monitoring is undertaken by management and by the Department's inspectorate and auditors to ensure that the administration of unemployment benefit is undertaken efficiently and according to law, regulation and rule. In particular, steps are taken both to prevent fraud and to confirm that the claimant has registered for work and that he remains available for it.
§ Mr. MacGregorIs the Minister satisfied about the operation of the conditions applying to the definition of "suitable employment"? Does he agree that, if these conditions were considerably loosened to include a wider range of alternative jobs not related to previous occupations, that would help to cut out some of the abuse, especially by the over-60s, and make it unnecessary to have the measures for curbing unemployment benefit that the Government are bringing forward?
§ Mr. GoldingI made it clear earlier that I believed that the term "suitable employment" should be interpreted widely by my Department and I believe that that will be the case.
§ Mr. LiptonIs my hon. Friend satisfied that legitimate claimants for unemployment benefit are getting their benefit at the right time? Is he aware that I have had complaints from time to time that delay occurs for various reasons?
§ Mr. GoldingI am anxious that all claimants should receive benefits on time, and that will certainly receive the attention of my Department.