§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the average length of time taken from the date of suspension of unemployment benefit and the reduction of income support until a decision is made by the adjudication officer to allow or disallow the claim; and, of the number of claims suspended, how many have now been decided upon;
(2) what statistics are compiled by local unemployment benefit offices concerning claimants whose benefit is suspended, when a doubt arises as to the circumstances under which their last job ended;
(3) how many claims for unemployment benefit made in the Oxford area in October 1991 were suspended on the grounds that the claimant may have left his or her job voluntarily or may have been dismissed for misconduct; and what proportion of the total fresh claims this number represents;
(4) what specific guidance and procedural instructions are given to staff in local unemployment benefit offices, to decide which claims for unemployment benefit and income support should be suspended on the grounds that the claimant may have left his job voluntarily or may have been dismissed for misconduct, and those which should not; and if he will make this information available publicly.
Mr. JacksonQuestions on operational matters in the Employment Service Executive Agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.