To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the level of unemployment among young people and their need to acquire skills, they will remove the 16-hour rule for persons over 21 wishing to complete full-time education and claim benefits. [HL5734]

We have no plans to do so. We recognise that for some people, lack of skills can hamper their entry into work and we actively support jobseekers in gaining the necessary skills. Customers claiming jobseeker's allowance can undertake full-time training if this is needed in order to gain the necessary skills to enter employment. Customers who undertake full-time training are transferred to a training allowance, to which the 16-hour study rule does not apply.

Furthermore, the Government have made a commitment to develop and deliver a fully integrated employment and skills (IES) system in England by 2010-11. The new integrated service will bring together and reform existing employment and skills services to better support skills acquisition, employment and career progression.