§ Mr. Ashbyasked the Paymaster General (1) how many claimants of unemployment benefit who were offered work which they declined and were then refused benefits for six weeks thereafter recommenced receiving benefit during 1984; and what was the average length of time for which they remained in receipt of unemployment benefit;
(2) what information he has as to how many claimants of unemployment and/or supplementary benefit who were offered work which they refused continued to receive benefit for the last year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkInformation is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
32WIn 1983, the last year for which figures are available, the independent adjudicating authorities considered 5,021 cases of unemployment benefit claimants refusing offers of apparently suitable employment (Social Security Act 1975, section 20(1)). 1,450 were disqualified and 3,571 not disqualified from receiving benefit.
§ Mr. Ashbyasked the Paymaster General what information he has as to the number of people currently claiming unemployment or supplementary benefit, or both, within the following occupational categories: farm labourers, forestry workers, artists and sculptors, performing visual and audio arts, literary occupations, construction labourers, painting and decorating and merchant seamen as deckworkers and as engineers.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe information about the occupations of unemployed benefit claimants is not readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Ashbyasked the Paymaster General how many current claimants of unemployment or supplementary benefit, or both, are not registered at a jobcentre.
Mr. Alan ClarkeThis information is not available. While statistics of those registered at jobcentres are available, it is not known how many are claimants of unemployment or supplementary benefit. Those registered at jobcentres also include people seeking a change of employment, and unemployed people not claiming benefit. Also many jobseekers make use of the self service facilities at jobcentres but do not register.