§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards recompensing interviewees for their travelling expenses. [11792]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownWe recognise that it can be difficult for unemployed people to meet the cost of getting to interviews and for this reason we have been running the travel to interview scheme since June 1986. The travel to interview scheme is available to jobseekers from their first day of unemployment.
The scheme encourages people to widen their job search by helping with travelling costs to attend interviews outside their usual travel to work area. To qualify for the scheme the job applied for must be permanent and full time. People can make applications for
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Benefit Expenditure—Scotland £ million Terms 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 Retirement Pension—basic 2,408 2,557 2,663 2,798 2,966 Retirement Pension—earnings-related 193 241 277 321 391 Christmas Bonus—contribution-based 11 11 11 11 11 Widows'/Bereavement benefits 118 114 113 112 112 Unemployment Benefit 125 72 — — — Jobseeker's Allowance—contribution-based — 43 62 59 56 Jobseeker's Allowance—income-based — 158 321 303 281 assistance in advance and will either receive a travel warrant or be reimbursed after the interview has taken place.