§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she will publish the first analysis of adjudication officers' decisions relating to benefit sanctions against people not meeting the terms and conditions of the jobseeker's agreement and jobseeker's direction; if the published information will provide a breakdown of the specific reasons for benefit sanctions; and what the practice will be for the continuing release of such information. [15134]
§ Mr. ForthResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Leigh Lewis to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 10 February 1997:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the publication of the analysis of adjudication officers' decisions on questions arising on claims for Jobseeker's Allowance. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.Information about decisions on questions arising on claims for unemployment benefit is contained in a document entitled "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions". This document, which is 53W published quarterly, provides information on all the main entitlement questions arising on claims, as well as those which might be regarded as sanctions.The publication for the quarter ending 31 December 1996 will also include decision given on questions arising on claim for Jobseeker's Allowance. All the main questions will be shown separately, including those relating to the Jobseeker's Agreement and Jobseeker's Directions. I expect to publish this analysis by the end of March 1997.The analysis will continue to be published quarterly and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.I hope this clarifies the situation.