Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 16 March 2009.
Desmond Swayne
Parliamentary Private Secretary To the Leader of the Opposition
2:30,
16 March 2009
What targets apply to Jobcentre Plus for the time within which jobseeker's allowance claims should be processed.
James Purnell
Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions
Jobcentre Plus has a target of 11.5 days average actual clearance time in which to process new claims for jobseeker's allowance. Jobcentre Plus is continuing to meet the challenges it faces and is currently meeting this target within 10.1 days.
Desmond Swayne
Parliamentary Private Secretary To the Leader of the Opposition
Is it meeting it in Lymington?
James Purnell
Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions
I am very happy to give the hon. Gentleman that information in writing. He will be interested to know that that figure is three days better than it was two years ago thanks to the £1.5 billion of efficiencies that we have released through our modernisation programme, which his party opposes. I know that he is the Parliamentary Private Secretary to his leader—perhaps he should send him one of his e-mails and say to those on his Front Bench that he is committed to £1.5 billion on top of the £2 billion that they will not support.
