§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether unemployed claimants offered a place at a Restart or other counselling interview have to participate in employment training or employment action, or any of the other programmes provided through the Employment Service, apart from Restart courses, after two years unemployment; if they take up a place on any of these programmes whether they can leave at any time without incurring a benefit penalty; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. G. Johnson to Ms. Clare Short, dated 29 October 1992:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, it is the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's Chief Executive to answer parliamentary questions about relevant operational matters. In his absence, I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Employment about participation in Employment Department, Employment Training programmes by people who have been unemployed for two years or more.
It may help if I explain that the purpose of Employment Service advisory interviews is for clients to discuss their individual situation and circumstances with one of our client advisers. The aim is to reach an agreement on an appropriate course of action which, if followed, will offer the best chances of finding work. There is no compulsion on people to at tend any of the employment and training programmes, including ET/EA, which the adviser may offer.
The only exception to this is the requirement for people who have been unemployed for two years or more to attend a Restart Course if they refuse all other offers of help.
Our advisers would not encourage clients to attend programmes which are not suitable for their individual needs. Indeed, the basis of our advisory interviews is that the client and their adviser should reach an agreement on a suitable course of action for returning to work. However, all unemployed people must show that they are capable of, available for and actively seeking work. Attendance at an employment or training programme is one way in which our clients can show that they are meeting these conditions.
There is also no benefit penalty if someone who has accepted a place on a programme decides to leave it. However, everyone who agrees to attend an employment or training programme and fails to start, or starts on a programme and fails to complete it, is asked to attend a follow up interview with a Client Adviser.
This is to check that the client is continuing to meet the conditions for receipt of benefit and to discuss the reasons for their non-attendance on, or failure to complete the programme.
The adviser will then agree with the client a further, suitable course of action which, if followed, will offer them the best chances of finding work.
830WI hope this is helpful.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.