HC Deb 25 April 1990 vol 171 cc223-5W
Ms. Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in what circumstances will an unemployed claimant, following the changes in regulations under the

Actively Seeking Work and Refusal of Employment Referrals and Disqualifications
Period 9 October 1989—23 February 1990
Actively Seeking Employment Refusal of Employment
Regions Claimants Issued Warning Letters Claims Referred to Adjudication Officer Allowed Disallowed Claims Referred to Adjudication Officer Not Disqualified Disqualified
Northern 914 156 23 57 33 6 16
Yorkshire and Humberside 874 142 28 46 89 15 13
East Midlands and Eastern 1,131 186 37 46 190 73 55
London and South East 5,828 930 180 191 1,048 117 159
South West 826 207 39 57 73 21 10
Wales 1,186 193 37 40 91 20 21
West Midlands 1,438 258 71 114 193 41 35
North West 1,918 225 56 75 107 20 22
Scotland 2,291 278 80 72 78 24 10

Social Security Act 1989, have good cause for refusing to take a temporary or a short-term job offered by the employment service, and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Eggar

The 1989 social security provision on refusal of employment makes no distinction between long-term, short-term or temporary work. If a job is offered to an unemployed person by the employment service which he or she can reasonably be expected to do, it is for the person to show good cause for refusal. The temporary or short-term nature of the job would be only a factor to be considered by the independent adjudicating authorities, in the event of refusal, with any other reasons put forward by the claimant.

Ms. Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidance is given to offices about the treatment of a legally separated unemployed person with access rights to children at weekends in respect of the availability for work effect on his or her entitlement to benefit.

Mr. Eggar

There is no specific guidance issued to offices about the treatment of unemployed persons who are legally separated and who have access rights to children at weekends. A person with domestic or other commitments who restricts himself or herself to working only on certain days of the week would need to show that the restriction is reasonable and that it would not limit his or her prospects of obtaining work. Benefit can be disallowed for those days that the claimant is clearly not available, and for other days claimed if, because of restrictions imposed, he or she has no reasonable prospects of obtaining work. Each case has to be considered individually.

Ms. Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed claimants in each month since 9 October 1989, for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, have been(a) issued with warning letters for not actively seeking work, (b) had their claims referred to an adjudication officer for not actively seeking work, (c) had their claims (i) allowed or (ii) disallowed, and (d) have been referred to an adjudication officer for refusing suitable employment; and how many of those in (d) have had their benefit disqualified.

Mr. Eggar

The table shows the statistical information for the period 9 October 1989 to 23 February 1990 on questions of "actively seeking employment" and "refusal of employment".

Actively Seeking Employment Refusal of Employment
Regions Claimants Issued Warning Letters Claims Referred to Adjudication Officer Allowed Disallowed Claims Referred to Adjudication Officer Not Disqualified Disqualified
National 16,406 2,575 551 698 1,895 337 345