HC Deb 10 December 1996 vol 287 c102
1. Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance. [6820]

The Parliamentary Under—Secretary of State for Social Security (Mr. Roger Evans)

Jobseeker's allowance has now been in operation for two months. It is helping people back to work and securing better value for money for the taxpayer.

Mr. Mitchell

Is it correct that this vicious, half-baked and ill-conceived measure is now producing all kinds of problems behind the scenes? Benefit offices are overwhelmed with work, so cases are taking two to three times longer than they took under unemployment benefit. Is it also correct that share fishermen, with their share fisherman's stamp, are experiencing unique difficulties because of their inability to produce proof of earnings from their last trip?

Mr. Evans

The general thrust of that question is misguided. Of course there are difficulties with such a complicated scheme, which involves many officials, but broadly speaking it is working well. I am astonished that the hon. Gentleman makes that point about share fishermen. With jobseeker's allowance—as before with unemployment benefit—they enjoy a special protected status that is unique in the benefits system, which reflects the hazardous and arduous nature of their work. The rules regarding their earnings have not been made more difficult. Share fishermen have been exempted from the remunerative work rule, and the averaging rules for their earnings under JSA are favourable to them.

Mr. Bernard Jenkin

Does my hon. Friend agree that nothing serves the recipients of benefits worse than for us to regard our responsibilities as having ended once we have handed over the money to them? Is it not much better for financial help to go hand in hand with active encouragement to find work and to get back into the labour market, because unemployment is the greatest evil that stalks this land and is the root of poverty in Britain?

Mr. Evans

The thrust of my hon. Friend's argument is right. In connection with the jobseeker's package, we introduced the back-to-work bonus, the national insurance contributions holiday, the extended four-week payments of housing benefit and council tax benefit, earnings top-ups and child disregard. Those measures are part of the Government's general package to get people off benefit and into work.