HC Deb 11 January 1988 vol 125 c17W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to count imprisonment as unemployment for the purpose of restart interviews.

Mr. Lee

On release from prison ex-offenders are offered an in-depth interview at a jobcentre without having to wait six months for a restart interview. The interview provides an opportunity to discuss ways back into employment comparable to that offered by a restart interview. Periods of imprisonment count towards the unemployment requirement of current Manpower Services Commission programmes designed to help long-term unemployed people, for example, the community programme and the new job training scheme.