Availability for work as assistance criterion
Colley asked whether flexible schemes signal a move away from availability for work as the basis for assistance. Woods described limited options for the unemployed and said he would seek flexibility; Mitchell dismissed the response, saying people want to attend courses.
Would the Minister accept that his positive reaction to Deputy Mitchell's suggestion, taken with the part time job scheme and the extension to the voluntary service scheme, are an indication that we are moving to a position where availability for work will no longer be the criterion for receiving assistance? Would the Minister indicate in what direction he intends moving? Is he going to bring forward another criterion or set of criteria for receiving assistance?
Comment on this
With the general agreement of the House we are introducing a number of flexible options for the unemployed, particularly the long term unemployed. If it becomes necessary to alter the legislation I will be quite happy to come back into the House but these schemes are all fairly limited given the total number unemployed. As the controls are increased and more computerisation is introduced there will be an onus on us to ensure that the arrangements are flexible and we have the capacity to do that.
