§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Her Majesty's Government will make arrangements to allow young unemployed people who go abroad on a youth service scheme to claim benefit again, on their return, without having to make a full fresh claim; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThere is a statutory requirement that persons wishing to receive benefit should make a claim and, in the absence of evidence that the existing arrangements are not satisfactory, it would be inappropriate to modify them in the circumstances mentioned.