§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will list the professions where unemployed people are able to seek employment in their chosen occupation while receiving unemployment benefit without being asked to seek alternative employment; and if she will make a statement; [35003]
(2) what is the maximum time during which actors and actresses are able to claim unemployment benefit before being asked to seek alternative employment; and if she will make a statement. [35102]
§ 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.
290WLetter from Mike Fogden to Mr Martin Redmond, dated 1 July 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking for a list of the professions where people who are unemployed are able to seek employment in their chosen occupation whilst receiving unemployment benefit, without being asked to seek alternative employment.
Under the provisions of the Social Security Act 1989, people may limit themselves to seeking and accepting work in their usual occupation and at their usual rate of pay for a period of up to 13 weeks from the date they claim unemployment benefit. After this, people claiming benefit are expected to broaden their jobsearch and to accept work for which they are capable, even if that work is not in their usual field. Anyone who takes up such an offer of employment is, of course, still free to continue to look for work in their chosen occupation.
I hope this is helpful.