The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the right hon. Gentleman with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 12 March 2008:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking whether statements containing personal data are sent to benefit claimants by Jobcentre Plus via non-registered post. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Jobcentre Plus takes security of its customers very seriously. That is why, from 31 March 2008, we will send the majority of our Customer Statements electronically to the customers’ nearest Jobcentre. They will then be able to check the accuracy of the information in the Jobcentre during their New Jobseeker Interview or work focused interview.
These Customer Statements are provided by Jobcentre Plus at the new claim stage, and include national insurance numbers, bank account details and the names of relatives living at home. Customers are required to check the information collected via the telephone to support their claim to benefit. These statements are usually sent by first class post.
We will only continue to send the customer statement by post where the customer’s first interview is deferred—for instance those claiming Incapacity Benefit attend a work focused interview 8 weeks after their claim—so that it can be verified without delaying the payment of benefit.
Jobcentre Plus sends a number of other letters through the post also containing personal information, and over the next 12 months we are changing our computer systems to reduce the amount of personal information contained in these letters.
For addresses known to be insecure and for those customers who do not have an address, Jobcentre Plus can arrange for these letters to be collected from the local Jobcentre.