§ 4. Mr. John Huntasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the existing rules about the unemployed accepting available jobs are being adequately enforced.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am generally satisfied that there is an increased awareness of the importance of enforcing the rules about the unemployed accepting suitable jobs. This is illustrated by the encouraging increase of 75 per cent. in the number of cases put to adjudicating authorities in the year ending March 1980 compared with the previous year, but there is always room for improvement and I am watching the situation carefully.
§ Mr. HuntI do not wish to minimise the serious and genuine unemployment in many parts of the country and parts of London, but is my hon. Friend aware that many of my constituents find it difficult to reconcile the high levels of unemployment with the large number of jobs advertised every night in the London evening newspapers? Does that not indicate that we should make it a strict and invariable rule that when two jobs have been offered and refused, unemployment benefit should automatically be stopped?
§ Mr. LesterIt is difficult to generalise. As I said, 75 per cent. more referrals of such people have been made to adjudicating authorities. Naturally, unhappiness is caused when people find that there are vacancies and people are offered jobs. If my hon. Friend will provide me with specific examples I shall be pleased to follow them up. Our employment services fill seven out of 10 vacancies within six working days.
§ Mr. Gwilym RobertsDoes the Minister accept that there is a high level of unemployment among men and women over the age of 55 years? Will he discuss with his colleagues the possibility of making available early retirement and thereby do the Government and people concerned a favour by taking them off the unemployment list?
§ Mr. LesterMany industries, including the mining industry, already make such arrangements. It is better done through industries than through the Government.