§ Mr. Favellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to change the arrangements for unemployment review in his Department.
§ Mr. FowlerUnemployment review officers are responsible both for giving advice and help to unemployed people on finding work, and for preventing abuse. These functions have been undertaken by the Department of Health and Social Security because of its responsibility for paying supplementary benefit to unemployed people.
My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has now introduced nationwide the restart scheme which involves calling the 1.3 million people unemployed for a year or more for individual counselling interviews at jobcentres. This advice and help means there is a considerable overlap with the existing work of unemployment review officers. My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and I have therefore concluded, with the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, that the function of unemployment review should be transferred to the Department of Employment. We expect the transfer to be completed by April next year.