§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what factors underlay her decision to extend the qualifying period of unemployment to be eligible for assistance under the travel to interview scheme from four to 13 weeks. [19101]
§ Mr. ForthFrom April 1996, the travel to interview scheme will form part of a package of measures for people who have been unemployed for 13 weeks. It will support jobseeker's who are required to widen their search for jobs after they have been unemployed for 13 weeks and who, after the introduction of jobseeker's allowance, will be interviewed and expected to review their jobseeker's agreement at that point.