§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice is given to local offices regarding the payment of benefit during periods when casual seasonal work is available; whether it is the practice of local offices to direct calimants into potato harvesting under the threat of losing their benefit; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIn areas where it is established that regular seasonal work is readily available, special arrangements apply. Awards of supplementary benefit are made in the usual way, but suitable claimants are informed that they ought to be able to find work within a specified time—usually two to six weeks—and that, if they do not, they will be invited for interview at the local office. Benefit may then be withdrawn if it seems clear that no serious attempt has been made to find work.
Where the available seasonal work is of very short duration—for example, potato harvesting—offices sometimes arrange special interviews with potentially suitable claimants as soon as work is known to be available locally. They are encouraged to take up this temporary employment, but not under the threat of automatically losing their benefit if they do not do so. Whether or not benefit is withdrawn would depend on the circumstances of each individual case.