§ Ms ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the current 21-hour rule enabling unemployed people to study while receiving benefit will be reduced to 16 guided learning hours when the jobseekers allowance is introduced in Scotland; what difference there will be in the treatment of unemployed people who take up places in either further or higher education courses, and if he will make a statement. [15160]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonPeople claiming jobseekers Allowance will be able to take part-time courses provided they remain available for and are actively seeking employment. In the case of further education courses, it has been decided that for those funded by the Further Education Funding Council for England, part-time courses will be defined as courses of up to 16 guided learning hours a week. Because the concept of guided learning hours does not apply to Scottish, further education consideration is being given to what similar arrangements will apply in Scotland. They will be designed to ensure that broadly the same number of people benefit from this concession as at present.
For higher education courses, it is expected that the definition of a part-time course will remain essentially unchanged.