§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will provide details for each for the 11 offices where the new restart questionnaire is being tested of how many of those referred to adjudication officers have been suspended from benefit; how long each had been claiming benefit; and how many of those suspended from claiming benefit were referred by means other than a restart interview;
(2) if he will provide details for each of the 11 offices testing the new restart questionnaire of the number of people referred to adjudication officers in March because of doubts about their availability for work; and if he will provide the fullest possible breakdown of those so referred by age and sex of those so referred with details of how long the individuals concerned had been claiming benefit.
§ Mr. LeeNo one is referred, as the result of a restart interview, directly to an adjudication officer.
When a question arises at a restart interview about a person's availability for work, the case is referred to the unemployment benefit office. This is then examined by officials and, where appropriate, referred to the adjudication officer for a decision on entitlement.
These referrals are not recorded separately from other availability referrals to adjudication officers. The detailed information requested could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
A change in procedures announced by the Government in January has meant that claimants with current benefit claims, as in the case of restart clients, will continue to receive benefits while their availability for work is being considered. New regulations, to take effect from 2 May, will extend the same concession to people receiving unemployment benefit.
Information on the number of people referred in the month of March from the 11 restart launch offices to an unemployment benefit office because of a question about their availability for work is shown in the table.
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Numbers referred to unemployment benefit offices because of doubts over availability Office March 1988 Billingham 21 Dundee 30 Ealing 65 Huddersfield 24 Leicester 201 Plymouth 68 Port Talbot 45 Preston 58 Stoke 98 Watford 22 Wimbledon 140
§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures for both the Birmingham and Solihull and Coventry and Warwickshire areas showing how many unemployed people have, since the introduction of the restart initiative(a) been called for a restart interview, (b) attended a restart interview, (c) had their benefit disallowed for failing to attend a restart interview, (d) been referred to a claimant adviser as a result of a restart interview and (e) been referred to a disablement resettlement officer as a result of a restart interview, together with a breakdown of these figures to show outcomes for each three-month or similar time period.
§ Mr. LeeThe figures requested in(a) to (e) are given in the table. We do not know how many of those interviewed ultimately end up in a job or other menu opportunity as a result of the interview.
Restart Interviews 1 July 1986 to 25 March 1988 Birmingham and Solihull a. Called for Restart interview 161,426 b. Attended a Restart interview 125,267 c. Had their Benefit disallowed for failing to attend interview 598 d. Referred to Claimant Adviser 5,566 e. Referred to DRO 3,352 Coventry and Warwickshire a. Called for Restart interview 73,455 b. Attended a Restart interview 54,970 c. Had their Benefit disallowed for failing to attend interview 174 d. Referred to Claimant Adviser 2,131 e. Referred to DRO 1,133
§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures for both the Birmingham and Solihull and Coventry and Warwickshire areas, showing the outcome of interviews conducted under the restart scheme, covering the period from the introduction of the scheme, in the same format used in the reply given on 6 November 1986,Official Report, columns 523–24, together with a breakdown of these figures to show outcomes for each three-month or similar time period.
§ Mr. LeeThe number of people interviewed under the restart programme and the numbers referred to the various menu items between 1 July 1986 and 25 March 1988 are shown in the table. We do not know how many of those interviewed ultimately end up in a job or other opportunity as a result of the restart interview.
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Restart counselling 1 July 1986 to 25 March 1988 Birmingham and Solihull Counselled 125,267 Submitted to Jobs 9,420 Submitted to Community Programme 9,488 Submitted to Jobclubs 8,024 Referred to EAS 4,549 Allocated to Restart Course 9,090 Referred to Training (including NJTS) 23,761 Submitted to VPP or Voluntary Work 2,653 Referred to ERC 294
1 July 1986 to 25 March 1988 Coventry and Warwickshire Counselled 54,970 Submitted to Jobs 3,649 Submitted to Community Programme 5,613 Submitted to Jobclubs 3,706 Referred to EAS 1,894 Allocated to Restart Course 4,195 Referred to Training (including NJTS) 9,363 Submitted to VPP or Voluntary Work 1,157 Referred to ERC 214
§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures for both the Birmingham and Solihull and Coventry and Warwickshire areas, showing the outcome of interviews conducted under the restart scheme, in the same format used in table 3 of annex 1 of the MSC directors report presented to the Manpower Services Commission at its meeting in October 1987, MSC/87/24, together with a breakdown of these figures to show outcomes for each three-month or similar time period.
§ Mr. LeeThe number of people interviewed under the restart programme and the numbers referred to the various menu items are shown in the table.
We do not know how many of those ultimately end up in a job or training programme.
Restart counselling 1 July 1986 to 25 March 1988 Number per cent. Birmingham and Solihull Jobseekers contacted 161,426 and interviewed 125,267 Received an offer 111,738 89 Agreed to follow up offer 87,582 70 Referred to a job 9,420 8 Referred to Community Programme 9,488 8 Allocated to Restart Courses 9,090 7 Referred to New Job Training Scheme 7,209 6 Referred to other training 16,552 13 Referred to Jobclubs 8,024 6 Agreed to follow up other options (CA, Specialist services and EAS, etc.) 43,091 34 Coventry and Warwickshire Jobseekers contacted 73,455 and interviewed 54,970 Received an offer 49,703 90 Agreed to follow up offer 39,596 72 Referred to a job 3,649 7 Referred to Community Programme 5,613 10 Allocated to Restart Courses 4,195 8 Referred to New Job Training Scheme 3,539 6 Referred to other training 5,824 11 Referred to Jobclubs 3,706 7 Agreed to follow up other options (CA, Specialist services and EAS, etc.) 15,569 32