Jobseeker's Allowance (Hansard, 29 October 1996)

§ Mr. Forth

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked for him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mrs. Ann Clwyd, dated 29 October 1996: Your question to the Secretary of State for Social Security regarding the structure of interviews and the range and type of questions to be put to unemployed people under Jobseeker's Allowance has been passed to me for reply, as these are issues which are the responsibility of the Employment Service. In response to the first part of your question, about the Benefits Agency Code of Practice (BA COP). I understand that BA have no plans to include specific guidance on interviewing unemployed people within it. However, it may be helpful if I explain that as part of the work undertaken for the introduction of JSA, we in the Employment Service (ES) have produced a full set of procedural guidance for all our people, as they will be responsible for most of the interviewing connected with the Jobseeker's Allowance. This includes guidance on all aspects of the interviewing policy which is to be adopted. I have arranged for copies of these particular volumes to be sent to you at the House. I hope this is helpful.