§ Mrs. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many restart interviews were conducted for each employment service region, between May 1988 and January 1989.
§ Mr. LeeThe number of restart interviews conducted in each employment service region between May 1988 and January 1989 is shown in the table.
222W
Region Number of interviews Northern 110,000 Yorkshire and Humberside 150,000 East Midlands and Eastern 132,000 London and South East 330,000 South West 70,000 Wales 89,000 West Midlands 161,000 North West 242,000 Scotland 182,000
Region Number of interviews GREAT BRITAIN 1,466,000
§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment in the most recent 12 month period, 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. LeeBetween January and December 1988, a total of 2,970,000 people were called for a restart interview, of which 339,000 were referred to unemployment benefit offices for failing to attend that interview; 24,000 (7 per cent.) of these had their benefit or credits disallowed.
The other information requested is not available.
§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what safeguards he has taken to ensure the confidentiality of personal information given to his staff by claimants during the course of restart interviews; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeIt is the employment service's policy that information given to it by its clients, whether written or oral, is always treated in confidence. This policy covers the information given as a result of the restart process.