HC Deb 21 June 1995 vol 262 cc286-7W
Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if unemployed persons receiving benefit who join non-schedule 2 further education courses not funded by the Further Education Funding Council will be allowed to participate for up to 21 hours per week in such courses without prejudice to benefit entitlement when the jobseeker's allowance is introduced. [29478]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 19 June 1995:]: As now, people studying full time will not be able to claim jobseeker's allowance. Those studying part time will, however, be able to claim JSA, provided they remain available for and actively seeking employment. For courses funded by the Further Education Funding Council, where there is no longer a clear distinction between full and part-time courses, the threshold below which courses will be considered to be part time will be 16 guided learning hours per week. The rules for courses that are not funded by the Further Education Funding Council, including non-scheduled 2 courses, will remain unchanged.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated reduction of unemployment figures(a) immediately following the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance, (b) six months following the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance and (c) one year following the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance. [29920]

Miss Widdecombe

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 8 December 1994,Official Report, column 342. It is too early to say exactly when any effect of the jobseeker's allowance on the claimant count will become apparent.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about his staff implementing aspects of the jobseeker's allowance's procedure in advance of its implementation. [29715]

Miss Widdecombe

None. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been asked a number of questions by the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) relating to whether various provisions of the jobseeker's allowance might be introduced in advance of the date of implementation. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, North on 6 June, Official Report, column 102.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the training process for staff in respect of the planned jobseekers allowance; and how long the training will take. [29716]

Miss Widdecombe

A variety of modular training courses, based on a detailed analysis of training needs, is being developed for staff who are to deliver jobseeker's allowance, depending on the duties they are to perform. We recently commissioned an external review of the arrangements being made to implement JSA. In the light of the findings of that review, and the decision to defer the implementation of JSA, the timing, length and content of the training proposed are now being reviewed, to ensure that it is adequate, appropriate and effectively targeted. All the training needed to ensure that JSA is delivered effectively will, however, take place before October 1996.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimated reduction he has made of the unemployment figures following the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance(a) nationally and (b) in Nottinghamshire. [29919]

Miss Widdecombe

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 8 December 1994,Official Report, column 342. No estimates have been made below national level.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of installing the new computer system for the jobseeker's allowance. [29728]

Miss Widdecome

A jobseeker's allowance payments system is being developed to pay jobseeker's allowance, by girocheque or automated credit transfer, at an implementation cost of around £40 million to March 1997. Further releases of software to enhance the system are already planned for 1997–98 at a cost of around £11 million.

In addition, the delivery of JSA will be supported by a labour market system. The Employment Service has been developing the LMS for some time to replace the existing computer systems in ES jobcentres, which support vacancy filling and advisory work. The implementation cost of the LMS is around £70 million.