asked the Paymaster General under what mechanism he proposes to ensure that claimants refusing, or leaving early, a new job training scheme place will not be subject to reference to the benefit authorities and disqualification from benefit under the provisions of the Social Security Act 1976.

The instructions issued to local offices of my Department, the Manpower Services Commission and the Department of Health and Social Security state that there is no disqualification of benefit for not joining or not completing training under the scheme.

asked the Paymaster General if any recruits to the job training scheme are to be over 25 years of age; and what arrangements will be made to pay a training allowance to those recruits who are not entitled to unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 356]: We will he giving priority for places on the job training scheme to those who are under 25 and unemployed for six months or more, but older long-term unemployed people may apply.If trainees did not receive benefit immediately before starting training, but claimed credits for national insurance contributions, they will receive a training allowance whenever a change in their circumstances would have entitled them to benefit had they remained unemployed.