§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the remark by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in a speech to the Institute for Public Policy Research on 7 June that 86WA "in return for measures which increase people's security, it is right to insist on strict enforcement of the responsibilities which people have in return for benefit", whether they will provide a comprehensive list of what they believe those responsibilities are. [HL2967]
§ Baroness BlackstoneThe remark was made in the context of jobseeker's allowance (JSA), which is an active benefit. The three labour market conditions of entitlement for JSA are that jobseekers must be available for work, must seek work actively each week, and must enter into a jobseeker's agreement setting out the type of work they are looking for and the steps they intend to take in order to find it. In addition, jobseekers are liable to a benefit sanction if they cause or prolong their own unemployment through certain acts or omissions which they could reasonably have avoided.
Certain jobseekers have other specific obligations: for example, the New Deal for Young People offers high quality help and support to young people who have been unemployed for more than six months. In return, participants are expected to find work or to take up one of the four options offered. There is no option of remaining on benefit without participation.