§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the number of overpayments to unemployed claimants154W as a result of the industrial dispute in the Employment Service agency; and if he will make a statement. [11205]
§ Mr. ForthResponsibility for the subject of the question 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 Mike Fogden to Mr. Rhodri Morgan, dated 23 January 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the number of overpayments made to unemployed claimants as a result of the current industrial dispute with the CPSA in the Employment Service.Details of overpayments made are collected quarterly. The next set of figures will relate to the period ending 31 March. No current information is available about changes in levels of overpayments during the period since the industrial action started.Overpayments can, and do, arise for a variety of reasons and it would be very difficult to identify separately overpayments which are directly attributable to the industrial action. To do this would require complex analysis and reporting arrangements additional to those presently in place. These would add to the burden on those ES people continuing to work in the affected offices and further hinder the ability of the Employment Service to maintain customer service during this period of industrial action.I am sorry that I am unable to provide the information you requested.