Jobseekers (Hansard, 21 March 1997)

§ Mr. Rooney
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if a jobseeker's allowance claimant could be referred to a (i) jobplan workshop, (ii) workwise course, (iii) restart course, (iv) 1–2–1 and (v) jobfinder if he(a) is attending a jobclub, (b) will start a full-time education or training course in the near future and (c) will be starting work in the near future. [21373]

§ 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 Home to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 21 March 1997: The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to write to you direct to respond to your question about claimants in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) and referrals to Jobplan, Workwise and Restart Courses 1–2–1 and Jobfinder caseloading. It may help if I explain that Jobplan, Workwise and Restart Courses are short programmes which help people compete more successfully for jobs and opportunities by allowing them to establish clear job goals and review their strengths and skills and the way they sell themselves to prospective employers. They are delivered on the Employment Service's (ES) behalf by organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors. In the main, jobseekers are referred to Jobplan and Workwise when they have been unemployed for at least 12 months and to Restart Courses when they have been unemployed for two years or more. 1–2–1 and Jobfinder (from April 1997) offer a series of caseload interviews, with an ES adviser, for jobseekers who have been unemployed for one year or two years or more, respectively. Through the interviews ES advisers are able to offer jobseekers concentrated help to encourage more effective job search; develop self-motivation; and help set clear goals for jobseekers to achieve. Where a jobseeker is attending a Jobclub, they would still be expected to attend Jobfinder caseload interviews. However arrangements would be made so that the jobseeker could continue to attend the Jobclub, in addition to attending a caseload interview. Indeed, the caseload interviews will complement the activity in Jobclub. However, Jobclub members would not normally be directed to attend 1–2–1, Jobplan, Workwise or a Restart Course, whilst still actively and regularly attending the Jobclub. If a jobseeker is due to start full-time education, a training course or a job in the near future, it is at the discretion of ES advisers as to whether they refer the individual to any of these programmes. However, where there is a firm offer (usually in writing) and the course or job is due to start shortly, we would not normally expect the jobseeker to be referred to a programme. However, if they do not subsequently take up the course or job they will in most cases be referred to the relevant programme. I hope this is helpful.
949W

§ Mr. Rooney
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which groups of claimants are given priority access to jobclubs and jobsearch plus. [21374]

§ 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 Home to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 21 March 1997: The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to write to you direct to respond to your question about priority access to Jobclubs and Jobsearch Plus. To be eligible to join these programmes jobseekers will normally have been registered unemployed for 26 weeks for Jobclub and 13 weeks for Jobsearch Plus. There are however a number of exemptions to the eligibility criteria which allow people in special groups to join the programmes immediately they become unemployed. These include people with disabilities, people with literacy or numeracy difficulties, labour market returners, people needing basic training in English (and Welsh/Gaelic), jobseekers affected by large scale redundancies, ex-offenders and people who have served in HM Forces. Some jobseekers will have priority status for entry into the two programmes. These include unemployed people with disabilities and 18 to 24 year olds who have been unemployed for a year or more who have never worked since leaving full time education. In addition people who have been directed to and have completed a Jobplan, Workwise or Restart course also enjoy priority consideration. I hope this is helpful.