§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the number of claimants who have moved directly from the unemployment register to receipt of sickness benefit in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment572W 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. James Wallace, dated 25 October 1994:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of claimants who have moved directly from the unemployed register to claim sickness benefit in the last 12 months.Unfortunately, the information you have requested is not available. At present the computer system used by the Employment Service to process benefit claims does not record details of the reasons for claim closure.As from 2 December, enhancement of the system will enable us to provide this information, although not I am afraid retrospectively.I hope this is helpful.