§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage unemployed people to seek relevant work experience through volunteering. [24448]
§ Miss WiddecombeWe recognise that volunteering can help unemployed people keep in touch with the labour market and contribute to improving their prospects of getting a job. The potential advantages of undertaking voluntary work while unemployed are set out in an Employment Department leaflet entitled "Voluntary Work When You're Unemployed", copies of which are available in the Library. There are special arrangements in the benefit rules for unemployed people undertaking voluntary work. They are allowed 48 hours' notice to be available for work; and voluntary work is taken into account in determining whether someone is actively seeking employment.