HC Deb 22 April 1986 vol 96 cc158-60
7. Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

asked the Paymaster General what steps he takes to check that all those registered as unemployed are seeking work.

Mr. Lang

All claimants are asked about their availability for work when they first register as unemployed and subsequently if doubts arise.

I am not fully satisfied with the existing test, and I am exploring ways in which it can be improved.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

My hon. Friend says that people must be available for work. However, he must know that there are several categories of people, such as mothers with young children or those who have taken early retirement, who draw benefit but are not seeking work and would not take a job if one were offered to them. Does my hon. Friend consider that the unemployment figures are compiled in a sensible manner? Will he change them?

Mr. Lang

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There are, of course, others who are seeking jobs but do not feature on the unemployment register count. The labour force survey provides a better picture of the employment world and has shown the creation of a million new jobs in the past three years.

Mr. Haynes

Why do the Minister and the Government pursue that line about scroungers? This is a planted question, and that is what it is about. The Minister should have a word with his right hon. and learned Friend the Paymaster General, now that he sits at the Cabinet Table at No. 10, with a view to providing real jobs and getting people out of the dole queue and back to work in the manufacturing industries—not as waiters or tourist guides.

Mr. Lang

I may be responsible for the answers, but I am certainly not reponsible for questions. A moment ago I mentioned the creation of 1 million new jobs—these are real jobs. I would be happy to send the hon. Gentleman a copy of our booklet "Action for Jobs", which underlines over 30 employment measures and training measures designed to help people into those jobs.

Mr. Brandon-Bravo

Has my hon. Friend read of the racket, operating out of Nottingham, which has been exposed by the national press? The unemployed, or rather some claimants under that guise, are bussed to other parts of the country to act as door-to-door salesmen and claim to help the disabled. Does my hon. Friend agree that to help those who are genuinely unemployed we should stamp on those malpractices?

Mr. Lang

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. I take his allegations seriously. If he has evidence to support this I shall be glad to see it. My hon. Friend may be interested to know that the number of cases where action has been taken against fraud has more than doubled in the past two years and prosecutions have risen by over 50 per cent.

Ms. Clare Short

I am sure that the Minister does not wish to mislead the House by partial quotes from the labour force survey. Will he confirm that, according to the analysis of that survey undertaken by the Employment Gazette in January 1986, we have the terrible total of 5,460,000 people in Britain who wish to have a job but cannot get one? Does the Minister also agree that as 41 per cent. of the registered unemployed have been out of work for a year or more it is not surprising that they do not seek work every day of every week of every year?

Mr. Lang

The hon. Lady is quoting selectively. The fact is that the labour force survey shows that the number of jobs in Britain has risen by over a million in the past three years. There are more people on the unemployment count who are not seeking work than there are those who are not on the count but are seeking work.

Mr. Wrigglesworth

Will the Minister accept that in the north, Scotland and in Wales there are wards where 40 per cent. of the work force are unemployed. The predominant concern is the lack of jobs and the debilitating effect that that has on young people and on those in the 50-years age group who see no future of work once they have been declared redundant.

Mr. Lang

I believe that there are pockets of high unemployment in all parts of the country. The Government's restart initiative, which will operate nationally from 1 July, will be helpful in this respect. It will draw in the long-term unemployed for interviews and give them help to try to find jobs.

It is significant that, so far, over 90 per cent. of those who have been interviewed have been offered a positive employment opportunity.

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