§ 45. Mr. John Huntasked the Secretary of State for Employment what specific steps are taken by his Department to ensure that a range of jobs is offered to all those school leavers who sign a declaration at their unemployment benefit office that they are able and willing to take any suitable job; and what is the precise liaison procedure between his Department and the Supplementary Benefits Commission to ensure that benefit is only paid to those genuinely unable to find any work.
§ Mr. GoldingThe main responsibility for finding jobs for school leavers rests with the local authority careers service, which does all it reasonably can to offer them suitable jobs. Local authorities are required under the Employment and Training Act 1973 to supply my Department with any information necessary for the administration of benefit for unemployed persons. When a supplementary benefit claimant refuses to accept, or fails to apply for, or neglects to avail himself of, suitable employment, and the independent adjudicating authorities decide that he would incur disqualification if unemployment benefit were in payment, the facts are reported to the Supplementary Benefits Commission.