HC Deb 26 February 1997 vol 291 cc258-9W
18. Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applicants for the jobseeker's allowance have been denied benefit since the inception of the allowance. [16071]

Mr. Forth

An estimated 96,000 claims for jobseeker's allowance have been refused since 7 October 1996.

Mr. Alan Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance have placed restrictions on their availability for work by virtue of(a) physical and mental limitations and (b) caring responsibilities. [17601]

Mr. Forth

Responsibility 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.

Letter from Robert Horne to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 26 February 1997: The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to reply to your question about the number of people who are currently claiming Jobseeker's Allowance and who have placed restriction on their availability for work by virtue of physical or mental condition or caring responsibilities. Unfortunately, we do not hold information on the number of people, with either a physical or mental condition or who have caring responsibilities, who have agreed with an employment adviser a pattern of availability which included restrictions. The only information held is on the number of claims referred to the adjudication authorities where there is a doubt on availability because of a restriction and the number of decisions made. This information, together with statistics on the other adjudication officer decisions and disallowance rates, is contained in a published document entitled "Analysis of Adjudication Officer Decisions". This provides information on all the main entitlement questions arising on claims. The latest information related to the quarter ending 30 September 1996. The first information relating to Jobseeker's Allowance will be in the publication for the quarter ending 31 December 1996. This is expected to be published by the end of March 1997 and copies will be placed in the Library. I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what benefit sanction will be imposed on a jobseeker's allowance claimant who is given a jobseeker's direction to apply for a specific part-time vacancy of less than 24 hours per week if(a) he refuses to apply for the vacancy in question, (b) he agrees to apply but is not offered the job and (c) he is offered the job which he then refuses; and if she will make a statement. [17624]

Mr. Forth

A fixed-length sanction of loss of benefit for two weeks—or four weeks if a separate fixed-length sanction has already been imposed within the previous 12 months—will be imposed if, without good cause, a JSA claimant refuses or fails to carry out a reasonable jobseeker's direction to apply for a particular job of less than 24 hours per week. No sanction will be imposed if the jobseeker carries out the direction but is not offered the job, nor if he is offered the job and then refuses it.

Guidance is issued to Employment Service jobcentres that staff should be particularly careful before giving a jobseeker's direction in respect of a job of less than 24 hours a week. Jobseekers should be directed to apply for such jobs only if this would improve their prospects of finding further work, or the job is sufficiently well paid to enable them to leave JSA altogether.