§ Paul HolmesTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people have had a work-first interview; and if he will make a statement; [114490]
(2) how many people who have received a work-first interview and claimed (a) incapacity benefit and (b) disability benefit did not have a first Level 2 qualification; and if he will make a statement; [114484]
(3) how many people who have received a work-first interview have been registered as (a) unemployed and (b) inactive; how many of those have gone onto (i) incapacity benefit and (ii) other disability benefits; and if he will make a statement. [114491]
§ Mr. BrowneThe information on the number of Work Focused Interviews is available only by client types not by benefit claimed and so it is not possible to provide a breakdown between incapacity benefit and other disability benefits.
Since the introduction of jobseekers allowance (JSA) in 1996 customers have to attend a New Jobseekers Interview before their claim to JSA is valid. From October 2001, customers making a new claim for a non-JSA benefit in Jobcentre Plus areas have had to participate in a Work Focused Interview with a Personal Adviser as a condition of claiming benefits but there is no requirement to look for work.
From 22 October 2001 to 9 May 2003 a total of 245,914 Work Focused Interviews (JSA and non-JSA) were conducted in Jobcentre Plus offices. A breakdown by client type is only available from 19 November 2001. From that date to 9 May 2003 a total of 238,234 Work Focused Interviews were conducted, of which 175,174 were JSA customers (unemployed and required to actively seek work) and 63,060 were non-JSA (not required to be available for or actively seek work); of these, 37,748 were incapacitated or disabled.
159WInformation on skill levels gathered through work-focused interviews is not collected centrally and so it is not possible to provide a breakdown by benefit type.