Lone Parents: Work-Focused Interviews

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) first, (b) second and (c) subsequent work-focused interviews for lone parents were booked between March 2006 and September 2007; and how many claimants were sanctioned for non-attendance in each category. (170274)

[holding answer 3 December 2007]: The available information is in the following table.

*Work focused interviews for lone parents for the period March 2006 to August 2007*
Work Focused Interviews (WFI)	Number of WFIs booked	Number of lone parents sanctioned for failing to attend WFI
First	343,900	4,840
Second	335,900	23,640
Subsequent	566,400	29,640
Sources: 1. National Benefits Database. 2. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Volume 469: debated on Tuesday 11 December 2007