§ Mr. Prescottasked the Paymaster General if there are any circumstances in which the form UB671, "Availability for Work Questionnaire", has been used or would be expected to be used by DE group staff working in restart teams.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe form UB671 is completed by claimants in the unemployment benefit office when they first make a claim for benefit. It is used by the unemployment benefit service in determining eligibility for benefit in accordance with long standing legal rules.
It is not used by staff in restart teams and I have no present plans for them to use it. Our restart teams are helping a completely different group of people—those who have been unemployed for over twelve months.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Paymaster General how many claimants called for restart interview have failed to attend their interview; how many of those failing to attend are believed to have found work; how many of those failing to attend have not found work; how many failing to attend have had their benefit stopped; how many of these have successfully appealed against the benefit decision; and how many failing to attend have subsequently re-registered as unemployed.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeBy 9 October 528,115 people had been contacted under the restart scheme, of whom 27,533 had failed to attend an interview, after two invitations. We have no means of knowing how many of them have, or have not, found work.
Of those who failed to attend, 8,405 had their benefit stopped, in accordance with long standing laws which require recipients to attend an interview. Of these 4,504 had their benefit reinstated because they subsequently attended an interview. Statistical records for the numbers of appeals are not available. A total of 377 people who failed to attend after two invitations to interview have subsequently made fresh claims and were awarded benefit again as unemployed people.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Paymaster General if he will list the circumstances or cases in which claimants referred to restart courses have had any benefit penalty exercised.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe are not exercising any benefit penalty solely as a result of declining the offer of a restart course.