Tuesday, 20 Jun 2017

Written Answers Nos 2080-2099

Exceptional Needs Payments

Ceisteanna (2080, 2124)

John Brady

Ceist:

2080. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the budget for the exceptional needs payment by €20 million. [28516/17]

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

2124. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the budget for exceptional needs payments by €20 million from its current budget of €30 million up to €50 million for more exceptional needs for persons and families in low income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29118/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2080 and 2124 together.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €31.5 million for exceptional needs payments (ENPs) and urgent needs payments (UNPs) in 2017.

An increase of €20 million in the budget allocation for ENPs and UNPs would bring the overall yearly allocation to €51.5 million. Any increase in the allocation for the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.

The scheme is demand led and continues to provide assistance to those with exceptional needs taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.

Jobseeker's Transitional Payment

Ceisteanna (2081, 2085, 2121)

John Brady

Ceist:

2081. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of allowing lone parents in employment whose children are between seven and 14 years of age to receive both the jobseeker's transition payment and family income supplement if they meet the qualifying criteria. [28517/17]

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

2085. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of allowing lone parents in employment whose children are between seven and 14 years of age to receive both the jobseeker's transition payment and family income supplement if they meet the qualifying criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28551/17]

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

2121. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing lone parents in employment whose children are aged between seven and 14 years of age to receive both the jobseeker's transitional payment and family income supplement if they meet the qualifying criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29114/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2081, 2085 and 2121 together.

The jobseeker’s transitional payment (JST) is available to lone parents (both former one-parent family payment recipients and new lone parents), who have a youngest child aged 7 to 13 years inclusive. These customers are exempt from the jobseeker’s allowance conditions that require them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work.

While it is a condition of the JST scheme that recipients must continue to parent alone, this is not a qualifying condition of the family income supplement (FIS) and so this information is not maintained for FIS recipients. From the data currently available on household composition within the FIS scheme, it is not possible to determine which FIS recipients, who are also lone parents, would satisfy the eligibility criteria to qualify for a JST payment. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate costing of extending the payment of FIS to JST recipients.

Budget 2017 contained several measures which benefited JST recipients. These included the 85% Christmas Bonus, which was paid to JST recipients in early December 2016 and the increase in the weekly earnings disregard for JST recipients from €90 to €110. This increase came into effect in early January 2017. JST recipients also benefited from the €5 weekly increase in social welfare payments which came into effect in March 2017.

Question No. 2082 answered with Question No. 1984.

Blind Person's Pension

Ceisteanna (2083)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

2083. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of a blind pension will automatically lose access to all or part of that pension if he or she marries or enters into a civil partnership; and if so, her plans to revise this policy. [28538/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Blind pension is a means-tested payment for blind and visually impaired people between the ages of 18 and 66 who are habitually resident in Ireland. In the case of a married couple or a civil partnership, a means test will take into account any income belonging to the individual and the income of their spouse or partner. As a general rule, the joint means is then divided by two to determine the individual means of the claimant.

The following items are not counted as means for blind pension:-

- Claimant's own home;

- Any other payment made by this Department;

- The value of the first €20,000 of savings (for a single person) or first €40,000 (for a couple);

- Money received from a recognised charitable organisation (excluding public or local authority);

- The maintenance part of a student grant from SUSI paid to claimant, a qualified adult or child dependent(s) for certain courses;

- Income up to a certain limit from rehabilitative employment;

- Income from rehabilitative training;

- Mobility Allowance from the Department of Health; and

- Blind Welfare Allowance paid by the HSE.

It does not follow, therefore, that a person in receipt of blind pension is automatically disqualified if they marry or enter into a civil partnership. In the light of their changed circumstances, however, a full assessment of the relevant joint means will be required to determine continuing eligibility for this pension.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 2084 answered with Question No. 2078.

Question No. 2085 answered with Question No. 2081.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Ceisteanna (2086)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

2086. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has examined the possibility of allowing lone parents who are in receipt of rent supplement and the one parent family payment to also be eligible for the SUSI maintenance grant; the estimated full-year cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28552/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Lone parents who wish to undertake a full time third level education course can continue to receive income support from my Department irrespective of the age of the youngest child or whether or not they are in receipt of rent supplement.

For those lone parents in receipt of the One-Parent Family payment, without rent supplement, they may have access to both the SUSI maintenance grant and the SUSI free fees grant.

For those lone parents who are in receipt of rent supplement and who wish to undertake a full time course they must transition to the Back to Education Allowance to continue receiving their income support from my Department. These lone parents may also be eligible for the SUSI free fees grant. However, they are not eligible for the SUSI maintenance grant in accordance with SUSI eligibility rules, which fall under the remit of the Department of Education and Skills.

However, any changes to the rules of eligibility to the SUSI maintenance grant and the cost implications of such changes are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills.

Domiciliary Care Allowance Review

Ceisteanna (2087)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

2087. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made regarding a claim for domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28554/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on 4th October 2016. The application was not allowed as it was considered that the evidence provided at that time did not indicate that the level of additional support required was substantially in excess of that required by children of the same age without the disability, as provided for in the qualifying conditions for the scheme. A letter issued to the person concerned on 26th January 2017 outlining the decision.

A request for a review of this decision was received on 20th February 2017, along with additional information on the child’s condition/care needs. The application will be re-examined by a deciding officer and a revised decision will be made if warranted. The outcome of this review will be notified to her as soon as it is completed. Currently, such reviews are taking approximately 18 weeks to complete.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Departmental Staff Relocation

Ceisteanna (2088)

Declan Breathnach

Ceist:

2088. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to transfer staff with responsibility for payroll systems currently based in Dundalk to the national shared services office in Clonskeagh, Dublin 6 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28557/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

There are currently no plans to transfer any of my Department’s staff from payroll services in Dundalk to the National Shared Services Office in Clonskeagh.

Citizens Information Services

Ceisteanna (2089)

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

2089. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of the recent Citizens Information Board consultations with the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, and citizens information services staff and companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28588/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

In February 2017, the Board of Citizens Information Board (CIB) decided to change the governance model from ninety three local Citizens Information Services (CIS) and Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) companies to a new sixteen regional board model, comprising eight CIS and eight MABS companies.

CIB has established an implementation group to progress the change. The group will have a local rolling membership element in order to harness the necessary skills and expertise as the regional structure is rolled out.

As part of its communications campaign, CIB undertook a series of 14 regional consultations during the month of May to examine and discuss some of the key aspects of implementing the new sixteen board model. The sessions were attended by 127 representatives of local company Boards and 223 representatives of management, staff and volunteers of local services. Each session was chaired by an independent facilitator. All attendees had an opportunity to raise any concerns they had about service delivery under the new model. CIB reports that the regional consultations were well received and there was considerable support for, and constructive discussion about, the change.

The regional consultation costs incurred by CIB amounted to €14,068. This includes €3,736 in respect of room hire costs at seven locations countrywide and independent facilitator costs of €10,332. Where incurred, the costs of travel and subsistence of attendees is borne by respective local CIS or MABS services, which are in turn entirely funded by CIB. Details of such costs in respect of individual companies are not readily available.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Overpayments

Ceisteanna (2090)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

2090. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the mechanisms available for a person to continue to dispute an overpayment from her Department once an appeal has been unsuccessful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28615/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

An overpayment of social welfare benefit or assistance is assessed as part of the statutory decision-making process provided for under the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005. When a revised decision on a social welfare entitlement is made, the claimant is notified of the outcome and the value of any overpayment assessed. In line with the statutory provisions, the person concerned is advised of the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

The Appeals Officer’s decision is normally final and conclusive but may be appealed to the High Court on any question of law. However, if the appellant is not satisfied with the appeal decision, he or she may seek to have it reviewed under specific provisions of the Social Welfare (Consolidation Act) 2005 in the following circumstances - where new facts or evidence which are relevant to the original decision are brought to notice since the appeal decision was given, or, where it is considered that the appeal decision was wrong by reason of a mistake in relation to the law or the facts.

If the outcome of an appeal confirms the initial decision and the amount overpaid has been correctly determined, the Department will commence recovery of the overpayment. In making arrangements for the recovery of the sum overpaid, the Department takes into account the financial and other implication for the person concerned and will aim to avoid hardship. It is important that the person concerned works with the Department in agreeing a recovery plan that ensures the overpayment can be discharged in a manner that is acceptable to both parties. The Department has a responsibility to ensure that all overpayments are recovered in full.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Maternity Benefit Applications

Ceisteanna (2091)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

2091. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the average delay in approving applicants for maternity benefit and putting them into payment from the time they apply for same; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28647/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

My Department has made good progress on processing of maternity claims and I can report that all claims relating to women who have already commenced their maternity leave have now been processed and the waiting time for these customers has been eliminated. My Department is currently processing claims where the expectant mother is commencing her maternity leave in the week commencing 19 June.

Claims are processed by reference to the ‘commencement of maternity leave date’ as this ensures that as many new mothers as possible have their claim awarded by the time they take their maternity leave.

I want to take the opportunity to highlight that the Department also facilitates online applications for maternity benefit and an automated decision is made where the customer submits all necessary information and where the detail provided can be validated. I would ask the Deputy to encourage women who are planning maternity leave to use this channel, if possible, as it provides the most effective method of applying for benefit.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

State Bodies Code of Conduct

Ceisteanna (2092)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

2092. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if all State bodies under the aegis of her Department have furnished a report confirming the State body has complied with its obligations under tax law for 2015 and 2016 as required under the code of practice for the governance of State bodies; the action which was taken regarding those bodies that did not submit such reports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28675/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal.

Under Section 8.47 of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, a report on a State body’s compliance with tax laws should be furnished each year to its relevant parent Department, confirming that the State body has complied with its obligations under tax law.

I can confirm that the Citizens Information Board has complied fully with its obligations under the Code of Practice for the years 2015 and 2016. The Pensions Authority has complied in respect of 2015 and has confirmed that it will do so in respect of 2016 in the coming weeks.

As all financial and budgetary matters in relation to the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal are administered directly by my Department, a report to confirm that these bodies are compliant with tax law is not required.

Wage Subsidy Scheme

Ceisteanna (2093)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

2093. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 209 of 1 March 2017, the full-year cost of extending the wage subsidy scheme for those in receipt of partial capacity benefit for existing and new participants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28689/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The partial capacity benefit (PCB) scheme is designed for people who are on illness benefit for at least six months or on invalidity pension and who have retained some capacity for work and wish to work. If awarded, PCB will allow them to continue to receive, in addition to their earnings from employment, a percentage of their illness benefit or invalidity pension payment while working. €14.5 million has been provided for the PCB scheme in 2017.

The wage subsidy scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market. The scheme provides financial supports to private sector employers to hire people with a disability for between 21 and 39 hours per week under a contract of employment. Just under €26 million has been provided for the WSS scheme in 2017.

As outlined in the reply to parliamentary question number 209 of 1 March 2017, the estimated cost of extending eligibility for the WSS to employers who newly employ people in receipt of PCB is currently €2.5 million in a full year. This estimate is based on recent trends in PCB numbers and other assumptions related to the scheme conditions. As indicated in previous response, this estimated costing specifically relates to new PCB participants only, as under current scheme rules, a WSS payment can only be made where an individual is entering a new job or is in that job for less than 12 months. The 12 month time period is a feature of the scheme designed to avoid job displacement and a common feature of labour market schemes. The WSS is not the primary incentive for the retention of people with disabilities in employment; this is the role of the employee retention grant scheme (ERGS).

In the event of extending the WSS to employers of those currently employing PCB participants, it would be necessary to significantly change the focus of the WSS scheme and it is not possible to provide a reliable estimate without significant additional information on other likely effects of such a change.

As an illustration, on the basis of existing numbers of those in receipt of PCB and a number of other assumptions (namely full take-up by potential recipients, that this extension would still be limited to private sector employers only and that PCB participants would work at least 21 hours per week), it is thought that the cost of extending the WSS in respect of current PCB recipients could be of the order of €15 million a year.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Paternity Benefit Applications

Ceisteanna (2094)

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

2094. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the waiting times for processing of paternity benefit; the number of applications awaiting payment; the number of persons waiting by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28691/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The processing of paternity benefit claims by my Department is generally kept up to date, with claims processed as the fathers commence their paternity leave. However, many fathers submit their claims after they have taken the paternity leave and so can only receive their payment after the leave ends.

Claims are processed by reference to the ‘commencement of paternity leave date’ as this ensures that as many claims as possible are awarded by the time the paternity leave begins. There are currently just over 1,700 paternity benefit claims and, where all necessary information has been supplied, these claims should be processed in advance of the customer’s leave commencing date. It is not possible to provide a county by county breakdown of the claims pending.

I want to take the opportunity to highlight that the Department also facilitates online applications for paternity benefit and an automated decision is made where the customer submits all necessary information and where the detail provided can be validated. I would ask the Deputy to encourage anyone planning paternity leave to use this channel, if possible, as it provides the most effective method of applying for benefit.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Maternity Benefit Applications

Ceisteanna (2095)

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

2095. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the waiting times for processing of maternity benefit; the number of applications awaiting payment; the number waiting by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28693/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

My Department has made good progress on processing of maternity claims and I can report that all claims relating to women who have already commenced their maternity leave have now been processed and the waiting time for these customers has been eliminated. My Department is currently processing claims where the expectant mother is commencing her maternity leave in the week commencing 19 June.

Claims are processed by reference to the ‘commencement of maternity leave date’ as this ensures that as many new mothers as possible have their claim awarded by the time they take their maternity leave. There are currently just over 5,000 maternity benefit claims waiting to be processed. Where all necessary information has been supplied, these claims should be processed in advance of the customer’s leave commencing. It is not possible to provide a county by county breakdown of the claims pending.

I want to take the opportunity to highlight that the Department also facilitates online applications for maternity benefit and an automated decision is made where the customer submits all necessary information and where the detail provided can be validated. I would ask the Deputy to encourage women who are planning maternity leave to use this channel, if possible, as it provides the most effective method of applying for benefit.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Community Employment Schemes Administration

Ceisteanna (2096)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

2096. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the pilot programme that was launched in January 2016 which allowed those that had reached 62 years of age to participate on a community employment scheme on a continuous basis until they reach State pension age; the estimated full-year cost of rolling this out nationwide and lowering the age to 60 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28701/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Community Employment (CE) is a labour market activation programme which helps long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged groups to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. It is designed to be a temporary fixed-term activation intervention. The programme assists participants to enhance and develop their skills, competencies and confidence to enable them to compete for jobs in the open market.

The pilot initiative announced in December 2015 is still in operation. This initiative enables those aged 62 or over to extend their participation beyond the standard maximum participation limits, providing the eligibility conditions are met. Participants are allowed to participate on a continuous basis up to the State Pension age, subject to satisfactory performance on the scheme and to annual approval by the Department. The places allocated for these participants within each individual CE scheme are limited to 7% of each scheme’s overall budgeted places. This pilot scheme is currently available nationwide.

As the Deputy will be aware, participation limits are necessary to allow for the utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons to ensure the benefits of CE are available to the widest possible number of jobseekers. The overall cost of CE reflects the number of places available and is not related to the age of the participants. The turnover of places allows the programme to maximise access to the opportunities provided by CE, such as valuable work experience, accredited training, etc.

Following the publication earlier this year of my Department’s Report - An Analysis of the Community Employment Programme - the Government approved a number of changes to the terms and conditions of participation on CE. At the time of publication, it was also signalled that a review of the rules governing the participation of older people on schemes would take place and I expect this review to be completed in the early autumn.

In that context, my Department has been consulting with key stakeholders throughout the country during the last month and the feedback from these consultation sessions will help to inform the review and its work.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Ceisteanna (2097)

John McGuinness

Ceist:

2097. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is in receipt of all entitlements; and if disability allowance payments qualify the person for further benefits from her Department or any other Department. [28713/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

I confirm this gentleman is in receipt of his full entitlement regarding his disability allowance. A person who is in receipt of disability allowance will automatically qualify for the free travel pass. There may be an entitlement to the household benefit package.

The person concerned is advised to contact their local citizens information centre who will advise them if there are any other forms of assistance appropriate to their specific circumstances.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Fraud Data

Ceisteanna (2098)

John Curran

Ceist:

2098. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons convicted of social welfare fraud in 2016; the number of these convictions that were for amounts (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28731/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Prosecutions are taken against persons who defraud the social welfare payments system and employers who fail to carry out their statutory obligations. The majority of social welfare cases are taken summarily in the District Courts, with more serious cases prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on indictment in the Circuit Courts.

In considering cases for legal proceedings, my Department applies the DPP guidelines for prosecutions. During 2016, 130 cases which were prosecuted by my Department under the Social Protection (Consolidation) Act 2005 were finalised by way of a conviction. Table 1 provides a summary of the value of overpayments of social welfare benefit and/or assistance in the cases.

TABLE 1: Value of overpayments in cases finalised in Courts during 2016 where prosecution were taken under the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005

Value of overpayments in cases finalised in Courts	Number of cases where a conviction was achieved
No overpayment	2
Under €1,000	0
Between €1,000 and €5,000	39
Between €5,000 and €10,000	25
Between €10,000 and €20,000	33
Between €20,000 and €50,000	19
Between €50,000 and €100,000	9
Above €100,000	3
Total	130

The reference in the table above to the two cases with no overpayments relates to the finalisation of cases involving the conviction of two employers.

The Deputy may also wish to note that a further 36 cases were finalised which resulted in the people concerned receiving the benefit of the Probation Act 1907 for social welfare related fraud offences. Table 2 provides a summary of the value of overpayments of social welfare benefit and/or assistance in these cases.

TABLE 2: Overpayments in cases finalised by way of the application of the Probation Act, 1907

Value of overpayments in cases finalised in Courts	Number of cases
Under €1,000	0
Between €1,000 and €5,000	15
Between €5,000 and €10,000	9
Between €10,000 and €20,000	8
Between €20,000 and €50,000	3
Between €50,000 and €100,000	1
Above €100,000	0
Total	36

My Department also referred 160 cases to An Garda Síochána in 2016 for investigation in relation to possible offences under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Acts 2001 and prosecuted by the DPP. Data in respect of overpayments on these cases will be provided separately to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Community Employment Schemes Review

Ceisteanna (2099)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

2099. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if a review of the community employment scheme is taking place at present; the purpose of the review; if the further curtailment of the time persons can spend on a scheme is anticipated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28803/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Following the publication earlier in the year of my Department’s Report - An Analysis of the Community Employment Programme - the Government approved a number of changes to the terms and conditions of participation on Community Employment (CE). The main purpose of these changes is to broaden the availability of CE to a greater number of people on the live register and to standardise other conditions around the length of time a person can participate on the programme.

The changes planned will see the general qualifying age for CE for those on the live register reduced from 25 to 21 years. It will also be easier for previous participants, who have exhausted their CE entitlement, to requalify, as participation prior to the year 2007 will be disregarded. While participants between 21 and 55 years on CE will be entitled to one year on the programme, this can be extended by up to 2 more years if they are engaged in a recognised training or education award that is helping them progress towards employment.

All CE participants age 55 and over will be able to avail of 3 consecutive years on a CE scheme. There will be an overall limit of 6 years participation from 2007 (7 years if on a disability payment). My Department has been consulting with key stakeholders throughout the country during the last month about the changes and it is planned to begin rolling them out over the coming weeks.

In addition, the Deputy should note that the current participation limits for older people on CE are being reviewed. Participation limits are necessary to allow for the utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons to ensure the benefits of CE are available to the widest possible number of jobseekers. There is no other review of CE taking place at present.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.