§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the objectives behind the proposed youth training scheme inquiry by the Social Security Policy Inspectorate; why his Department is to be involved in an experimental exercise interviewing and visiting young people who are not on youth training schemes; and whether it will be part of the review work to recommend withdrawal of benefit, or to verify benefit claims.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply,, 23 January 1984, c. 446The objective of this Social Security Policy Inspectorate inquiry is to monitor the effects of the arrangements made for supplementary benefit to be126W reduced where claimants refuse youth training scheme places, or leave prematurely, without good cause. The inspectorate will interview some such claimants to discuss their reasons and their reactions to the benefit reduction that resulted. It will also interview some unemployed young people who are in the relevant age group and who are not currently taking part in the scheme to find out whether they have been offered places and what are their intentions when places become available.
It will be no part of the inspectorate's function to recommed withdrawal or reduction of benefit in any individual case, or to verify benefit claims.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the objectives behind the proposal to increase unemployment review activity on young claimants; how his officers propose to encourage a positive attitude and inculcate good working habits; on what basis Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline and the other local Department of Health and Social Security offices have been chosen for the experiment; and whether it will be part of the review work to recommend withdrawal of benefit, or to verify benefit claims.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1984, c. 445–46We are concerned that young unemployed people, who are at the threshold of their working lives, should, whenever possible, be given the most appropriate kind of help and encouragement to seek and find suitable jobs. The youth training scheme and the vocational guidance offered by the careers service already provide help for 16 and 17-year-olds, but we recognise that young people who are slightly older may also be in need of special help. One possible solution is for unemployment review officers to allocate more of their time to this group. The Department is therefore about to carry out an experiment to evaluate the effect of devoting more of the time of unemployment review officers to such young people. The experiment will focus on single people in the 18 to 24 age group. The exercise will be conducted in 40 local offices, in England, Wales and Scotland —including Cowdenbeath and Dunfermline. All the offices have been selected on a random basis to provide a representative sample. The experiment will begin in February and will continue for several months.
As usual, the primary task of the unemployment review officers will be to try to help claimants by offering suitable advice about employment prospects and how to apply for jobs, and by explaining the opportunities for training or work experience available through the Manpower Services Commission. An underlying aim of all these activities is to help those who have become discouraged.
127WAnother part of an unemployment review officer's job is, however, to verify that unemployed claimants are available for work. If a person is found not to be available, benefit may have to be withdrawn.