§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the rules allowing the unemployed to work for voluntary organisations which engage in political activities.
§ Mr. HagueThe rules governing benefits for unemployment allow unemployed people to undertake voluntary work for voluntary bodies without losing benefit, provided that they remain available for and actively seeking work. The Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment Regulations 1993 define a voluntary body as
a body the activities of which ale carried out otherwise than for the purpose of profit".We have no plans to review these rules.