HC Deb 04 March 1996 vol 273 cc39-42W
Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances the Employment Service will be able to vary the signing on time of a claimant in receipt of jobseeker's allowance so that such a claimant is able to attend a part-time training or education course. [18756]

Mr. Forth

The Employment Service will normally make arrangements so that a person in receipt of jobseeker's allowance who is a part-time student can attend the local office at a time which does not conflict with the hours of the course. Jobseekers should nevertheless be willing and able to arrange the hours of courses of part-time study in order to take up full-time employment at times falling within their pattern of availability.

Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if existing claimants will be required to complete a jobsearch plan and jobseeker's agreement when jobseeker's allowance is introduced. [18748]

Mr. Forth

Existing unemployed claimants is already in receipt of unemployment benefit or income support when JSA is introduced in October 1996 will be treated as having made a jobseeker's agreement until, at the first suitable opportunity, an actual agreement is made or until their claim is terminated, whichever is the earlier.

In drawing up the agreement with existing claimants, Employment Service staff will assess whether the information already provided by the client for their claim to unemployment benefit or income support is sufficient for completing an agreement. Where the information is not sufficient or where the adviser and jobseeeker are not able to agree an agreement—for example because of a dispute about a pattern of availability—ES staff will be advised to ask the jobseeker to complete a "Helping You Back to Work" form, previously referred to as the jobsearch plan.

Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) in what circumstances a claimant in receipt of jobseekers' allowance participating in a part-time education or training course will not be required to attend a compulsory restart, workwise worklink course or jobplan workshop; and what structures will be in place to enable such claimants to maintain their course place; [18750]

(2) in what circumstances an unemployed person participating in a part-time education or training course will not be directed to attend a Government employment or training programme under the jobseeker's direction; and what facilities or arrangements will apply to those who are so directed to maintain part-time study. [18753]

Mr. Forth

The first priority of people claiming jobseeker's allowance must be to return to work. Jobseekers who are claiming JSA and studying part time will continue to be required to attend mandatory Employment Service programmes, which are designed to help them back to work. In addition, they may be given a jobseeker's direction to attend a Government employment or training programme with a view to assisting them to find employment or improving their prospects of being employed. It will be for an independent adjudication officer to decide whether such a direction was reasonable in the jobseeker's circumstances. No sanction will be imposed if a jobseeker shows good cause for refusing or failing to attend a mandatory programme or to carry out a jobseeker's direction.

Where possible, the Employment Service will seek to make arrangements which are reasonable in view of the jobseeker's circumstances and study pattern. This may involve rescheduling a stage of the programme to accommodate their study commitments, or by trying to arrange attendance during college holidays. Courses of study are also becoming more flexible, and where necessary jobseekers will be expected to re-arrange the hours they study so that they can attend the programme.

Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances participation in a part-time education or training course will count as one of the job seeking steps necessary to satisfy the actively seeking work condition of the jobseeker's allowance. [18754]

Mr. Forth

The JSA regulations set out a non-exhaustive list of steps that it is reasonable for a jobseeker to be expected to have to take actively to seek employment. Participation in a part-time education or training course is not included in that list. However, any time during which a person was participating as a part-time student in an employment-related course, as defined in the regulations, is included in the regulations in a non-exhaustive list of circumstances that shall be taken into account in determining whether a person has taken sufficient steps to meet the entitlement condition.

Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if a claimant will be able to study part-time and claim jobseeker's allowance in circumstances where it is not possible for him to rearrange course times in order to take up employment at times falling within his pattern of availability and he undertakes to cease the course immediately suitable employment becomes available. [18757]

Mr. Forth

Jobseekers who claim jobseeker's allowance will be able to study part-time so long as they remain available for and actively seeking employment. They do not have to re-arrange their course but they should be prepared to leave their course to take a job if one becomes available.

There will also be an additional concession for certain jobseekers—broadly those who have been unemployed for three months or more, where no aspect of their study will be taken into account when deciding whether they are available for work if they are willing and able to rearrange their course to take a job in the hours that they have agreed they will be available for work in their jobseeker's agreement. If it is not possible for jobseekers to rearrange their course then this concession will not apply and they will be subject to the same rules as other jobseekers who study part time.

Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the maximum number of hours that unemployed people in receipt of jobseeker's allowance will be able to spend on training and education courses exclusively funded by the European social fund. [18755]

Mr. Forth

People receiving jobseeker's allowance will be able to study part time so long as they remain available for and actively seeking employment.

No courses are exclusively funded by the European social fund. It part funds courses jointly with a wide range of organisations. Under JSA, if a course is part funded by the Further Education Funding Councils for England and Wales and by the ESF it will be regarded as part time so long as it is of 16 or fewer guided learning hours a week. There will be similar arrangements for further education courses in Scotland.

There will be no change to the rules for courses part funded by the ESF and any other organisation. As now, a decision will be made about whether the course is full or part time based on all the information available, including any provided by the course provider.

Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements will be introduced for reviews by Employment Service staff of jobseeker's agreements completed by postal claimants. [18749]

Mr. Forth

Most jobseekers will be required to attend a jobcentre to make a claim for a jobseeker's allowance and to sign a jobseeker's agreement. Thereafter they will be required to attend a jobcentre every fortnight to sign a declaration that they have been available for employment, have been actively seeking employment and that their circumstances have not changed. Some jobseekers, as now, will not be required to attend fortnightly but will be able to provide such a signed declaration by post. Postal signers will be seen by an Employment Service adviser every 13 weeks. At that time the employment adviser and jobseeker will review the jobseeker's circumstances and determine whether the jobseeker's agreement that is in effect should be varied.

In certain circumstances some jobseekers will be able to make a claim for a jobseeker's allowance by post. They will be treated as having made a jobseeker's agreement until they have an interview with an employment adviser to draw up an agreement.