§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish information showing how many claimants in Brighton have had their benefit (a) reduced and (b) withdrawn in connection with the restart scheme.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have been asked to reply.
No one can lose their benefit entitlement solely as a result of the restart programme. Under long-standing legal rules people can lose their entitlement to benefit if they fail to attend an interview or are not available for work. At 9 October 1986 the number of claimants who had their benefits disallowed in Brighton after receiving an invitation to an interview under the restart scheme was 58.
Most of these were for failure to attend a restart interview, but if, subsequently, a claimant agrees to attend an interview then benefit is reinstated.
We do not keep statistical records of the number of benefit reductions but this rarely applies to anyone affected by the restart scheme.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish information showing how many claimants in the London borough of Newham have had their benefits (a) reduced and (b) withdrawn in connection with the restart scheme.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have been asked to reply.
No one can lose their benefit entitlement solely as a result of the restart programme. Under long-standing legal rules people can lose their entitlement to benefit if they fail to attend an interview or are not available for work. At 9 October 1986 the number of claimants who had their benefits disallowed in the London borough of Newham after receiving an invitation to an interview under the 80W restart scheme was 413. Most of these were for failure to attend a restart interview but if subsequently a claimant agrees to attend an interview then benefit if re-instated. We do not keep statistical records of the number of benefit reductions but this rarely applies to anyone affected by the restart scheme.