HC Deb 18 February 1963 vol 672 c15W
Sir Richard Glyn

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how long an unemployed person claiming benefit can refuse to apply for work on the grounds that the work offered is not comparable with the nature of his or her previous occupation.

Mr. N. Macpherson

No statutory period is laid down. It is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the individual case.

Sir Richard Glyn

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will arrange to have included in the Monthly Statistics of Unemployment, published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette, figures showing the number of vacancies notified to unemployed persons, and the number of unemployed claiming benefit who have refused to apply for such vacancies on the grounds that the work offered, although in their own locality, is not comparable in nature with that of their previous occupation.

Mr. N. Macpherson

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour that these figures are not available. The task of collecting them would complicate the work of his local offices and I do not think I should be justified in asking my right hon. Friend to undertake it.

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