HC Deb 24 June 1971 vol 819 cc338-9W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the information given by the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Oldham, West, in his letter to him on 24lh March, 1971, concerning towns added to and removed from the list of those to which the four-week rule applied.

Mr. Dean

Following is the information: The tables compare the position in March, 1971 with the position in July, 1968, when the scheme was first introduced.

Limitation of supplementary allowances to jour weeks (subject to review at the end of that time and to a right of appeal if allowance is not renewed)

Areas added to and areas removed from those where arrangements operate in respect of fit, single, unskilled men at the outset of their claims and for other men and women after three months, except where withdrawal of an allowance would cause hardship to dependants.

Areas Added

1. The Department of Employment advised that unskilled work could be obtained without difficulty by certain men (i.e. arrangements introduced on a modified basis).

  1. (a) applied only to men under 35 at the outset of their claim:
    • Cardiff (3 offices).
    • Bridgend.
    • Caerphilly.
    • Cwmbran.
    • Llanelli.
    • Morriston.
    • Neath.
    • Newport.
    • Pontypridd.
    • Port Talbot.
    • Rhyl (Deeside area).
    • Swansea.
    • Wrexham.
  2. (b) applied only during the summer season to men under 35:
    • Rhyl.
    • Llandudno.
    • (c) applied only during summer season:
    • Hereford.

2. The introduction of these arrangements was delayed due to local administration difficulties:

  • Ealing.
  • Newport I.O.W.
  • Kensington.

Arrangements extended

3. The age range covered has been extended on the advice of the Department of Employment (upper limit raised from 30 to 45):

Sheffield (5 offices).

Areas removed

4. Discontinued because the Department of Employment advised that unskilled work could not be obtained without difficulty:

Yorkshire and Humberside region

  • Barnsley East.
  • Doncaster (2 offices).
  • Pontefract.
  • Barnoldswick.
  • Gainsborough.
  • Goole and Thorne.
  • Grimsby (2 offices).

West Midlands Region

  • Boney Hay.
  • Chase Terrace.

East Midlands and East Anglia Region

  • Boston.
  • Chesterfield (2 offices).
  • Corby.
  • Derby (2 offices).
  • Grantham.
  • Great Yarmouth.
  • Lincoln.
  • Norwich, rural area (excluding Norwich City).
  • Nottingham.
  • Peterborough.
  • Worksop.
  • Ilkeston—previously excluded Heanor only.
  • Lowestoft—previously excluded Southwold and Halesworth areas only.

London North Region

Bedford.

London South Region

Canterbury.

5. Discontinued due to local administrative difficulties:

Havant.

Arrangements modified 6. Areas where the arrangements continue in action but on a modified basis on advice from the Department of Employment: (a) previously operated in full, now only operated during summer season: Weymouth. (b) previously operated in full, now restricted to men under 35:

  • Bury St. Edmunds.
  • >Dover.
  • Sittingbourne.