§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the 16 hours per week that students on benefit are allowed to study while being supervised by a tutor under the jobseeker's allowance can be averaged out over a number of weeks. [28160]
§ Miss WiddecombePeople claiming jobseeker's allowance will be able to undertake part-time courses provided they remain available for, and actively seeking, employment. In the case of courses funded by the Further Education Funding Council, the threshold will be 16 guided learning hours per week. This is designed to allow the same number of people to study while claiming benefit as do so now.
A number of detailed issues are still being considered. One of these is the question of whether the number of guided learning hours will be averaged out over a period. Our proposals will be laid before the House in regulations.