To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people during each month from January to May have been (a) refused benefit following an initial claim and (b) withdrawn from benefit following a restart interview for each benefit office in Middlesbrough, Redcar, Eston, Guisborough, Hartlepool, Loftus, Saltburn, Stockton and Billingham, on the grounds that they were not available for employment, giving details of the reasons for these decisions.
The table shows the number of initial claims disallowed by an adjudication officer on availability grounds for the months and offices requested.The information requested in
(b) is not available. Any refusal of benefit following a restart interview could only occur as the result of a decision by an independent adjudication officer operating under long-standing legal rules adopted by successive Governments.
These decisions are given by independent adjudicating authorities on the basis of the evidence available in each individual case. It is not possible to state the exact reason under the availability condition as to why benefit entitlement is disallowed, as the Department is only advised of the social security legislation upon which the decision is based.