§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many offices responsible for the payment of unemployment benefit have changed the day of the week on which payments are made(a) in the past 12 months and (b) in the past five years;
(2) what is the total amount of money which has so far been withheld from claimants of unemployment benefit as a result of changes to the day on which benefit payments are made;
(3) what is his latest estimate of the total amount of money withheld from claimants of unemployment benefit as a result of changes to the day on which benefit payments are made in each year since 1989–90 and in the current financial year to date.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility for the subject of the questions 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 M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. David Blunkett, dated 30 November 1993:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write direct to respond to your Parliamentary Questions to him about the number of offices that have changed the day of the week on which payments are made in the last 12 months and the last five years; and, as a result of this, how much money has been withheld from claimants of unemployment benefit together with an estimate of the total amount of money withheld in each year since 1989–90 and in the current financial year to date. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.I am sorry that information is not available in the form you requested.The allocation of signing days is arranged individually by each ES local office. I am unable to say how many offices have changed clients' signing days in the last 12 months and in the last five years because this information is not collated or published.I can state however that no unemployment benefit (UB) has been withheld from clients due to a change in the day on which UB payments are made.I 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.