§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit imposed by adjudication officers on people living in the London borough of Wandsworth; and how many people have been affected by such decisions in each of the last three years.
§ Mr. McLoughlinResponsibility for the subject of ale question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter front M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Toni Cox, dated 28 January 1993:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about adjudication decisions affecting people in the London Borough of Wandsworth and, although your question does not specifically say so, I am assuming that you are seeking information about disqualifications. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could he made.The maximum period of disqualification for receiving unemployment benefit is 26 weeks.Unfortunately, information is not available in the form you have requested. We compile information on disqualification by region and the Wandsworth area is included in our London and South Eastern Region. The statistical table attached gives the figures for the number, but not the lengths, of disqualifications imposed in that region.I hope this is helpful.As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now he published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. John Evans, dated 28 January 1993:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the St Helens North area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the 843W light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.I hope this is helpful.As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (I) how many claimants(a) nationally and (b) in the area containing Nottingham, North have been subject to unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in each of the last five years;
(2) what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes Nottingham, North;
(3) what guidance exists for adjudication officers when imposing unemployment benefit disqualification; as to the length of time of that disqualification; what is the maximum period of such disqualification; and how often it was imposed (a) in area containing Nottingham, North and (b) nationally in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. McLoughlinResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr Graham Allen, dated 28 January 1993:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your three Parliamentary Questions to her about the guidance available to adjudication officers and the numbers and length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the Nottingham North area and nationally. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.Although adjudication officers are employed by us, they arc appointed by the Secretary of State specifically to give independent decisions on questions relating to benefit entitlement. These decisions must comply with Social Security legislation and established case law.Adjudication officers are assisted in their decision making by guidance contained in the Adjudication Officers Guide. This brings together the law and case law, both of which are also published and available to them, and provides further guidance based on precendent and legal advice. The Guide is written by the Office of the Chief Adjudication Officer (Central Adjudication Services) for all adjudication officers who handle questions and appeals related to social security benefits. It is hoped that its publication by Her Majesty's Stationery Office will he of help to others interested in social security, such as welfare rights groups. However, the guide is primarily designed for the use of adjudication officers and this is reflected in the way it is written and presented.Information about the length of disqualification period imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.The maximum period of disqualification for receiving unemployment benefit is 26 weeks. Unfortunately because we do not collect the information about the length of disqualificaiton imposed I am unable to provide the details you requested on how often the maximum period of disqualification is imposed.Unfortunately, the information we have is not available in the form you have requested. We compile information on disqualificaions by region and nationally. The Nottingham 844W North area is included in our East Midlands and Eastern Region. The statistical tables attached give the number of disqualifications imposed both for that region and nationally.I hope this is helpful.As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.The number of people disqualified nationally and in the East Midlands and Eastern region during the past five years is as follows:
Year ending 31 December National East Midlands and Eastern Region Leaving voluntarily: 1987 329,516 14,727 1988 261,838 12,593 1989 202,328 21,580 1990 174,786 19,025 Quarter ending March 1991 37,226 4,007 Year ending 31 March 1992 140,725 13,392 Misconduct: 1987 98,317 3,565 1988 80,659 3,269 1989 65,495 7,103 1990 53,765 5,931 Quarter ending March 1991 12,937 1,725 Year ending 31 March 1992 54,005 5,951 Refusal of employment: 1987 2,320 135 1988 2,291 121 1989 2,799 336 1990 2,224 244 Quarter ending March 1991 186 24 Year ending 31 March 1992 458 51 Neglect to avail oneself of an offer of employment: 1987 2,036 129 1988 3,114 241 1989 2,941 779 1990 1,443 402 Quarter ending March 1991 328 92 Year ending 31 March 1992 1,307 424 Refusal to comply with written instructions: 1987 61 Nil 1988 78 2 1989 101 13 1990 1,138 2 Quarter ending March 1991 2,354 Nil Year ending 31 March 1992 575 Nil Trade disputes: 1987 496 6 1988 299 1 1989 313 Nil 1990 598 Nil Quarter ending March 1991 32 Nil Year ending 31 March 1992 353 1 Refusal or premature termination of training: 1987 6,607 333 1988 3,987 252 1989 881 136 1990 748 75 Quarter ending March 1991 33 2 Note:
1. Starting with April 1991 the statistical year runs from April to March.
2. Decisions on absence from Great Britain; imprisonment or detention on legal custody; and, from April 1991, those relating to training are not separately identified in the statistical summary of decisions made and have not been included above.