§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the format of the new intensive series of advisory interviews for claimants unemployed more than two years; what will be the procedure for referring claimants; if benefit sanctions will be imposed for non-attendance; and what will be the impact of the programme on the 1-2-1 interview programme. [10264]
§ Mr. ForthThe new jobfinder programme will comprise a series of intensive interviews which focus on helping people who have been unemployed for two or more years back into work. It will build on the success of the 1-2-1 programme, which will continue to help people who have been unemployed for 12 months. The Government's intention is that jobseekers reaching two years or more unemployment will be referred to the programme by the Employment Service at the relevant restart interview and that, subject to Parliament, those who fail to attend without good cause will be subject to benefit sanction under the provisions of section 19 of the Jobseekers Act 1995, and regulation 69, 73 and 75 of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996.