HC Deb 23 December 1981 vol 15 cc452-3W
Mr. Craigen

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which unemployment benefit offices are to be used for the trial introduction of tests of availability of the unemployed for benefit.

Mr. Alison

The offices involved in this test of new administrative procedures will be:

  • Sunderland
  • Leeds
  • Hove
  • Sheerness
  • Maidstone
  • Waltham Cross
  • Cheltenham
  • Exeter
  • Leamington
  • Cardiff
  • Ebbw Vale
  • Merthyr
  • Manchester
  • Levenshulme
  • Grangemouth

Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is his intention that claims for unemployment benefit made on 4 January 1982 will be backdated in line with Department of Employment local office codes 11A and I, thus ensuring that entitlements to earnings-related supplement is not lost as a consequence of the closure of local Department of Employment offices on 1, 2 and 3 January 1982.

Mr. Alison

Standing instructions provide for unemployment benefit claims to be backdated when an earlier claim could not have been made because of the closure of local offices provided that in any particular case the claimant wants to claim for any of those days. All claimants state the date from which they wish to claim on the initial claim form.

Mr. Craigen

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the list of questions to be included in the questionnaire to claimants for benefit in respect of the test of availability at the unemployment benefit office; and which answers will result in suspension of unemployment benefit.

Mr. Alison

No. The transfer of the responsibility for testing the availability of unemployed benefit claimants from the employment services division of the Manpower Services Commission to the unemployment benefit service following the introduction of voluntary registration involves a considerable change in administrative procedures. To ensure these procedures are satisfactory it is necessary to run a pilot scheme and the results of this will determine the final format of the test.