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Thursday, 13 December 1973

Mr Wilson asked the Minister for Social Security, upon notice:

(1)   Did his Department receive any reports from the Commonwealth Employment Service relating to claims for unemployment benefits from persons who had refused an offer of suitable employment.

(2)   If so, how many such reports have been received since 1 January 1973.

Mr Hayden - The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1)   The Department of Social Security regularly receives, from the Commonwealth Employment Service, reports concerning individual claimants for unemployment benefit. These reports are related to the process of registering claimants for employment, seeking suitable work for them, and determining whether they are prepared to accept the offer of such work.

(2)   No statistics are maintained within my Department of the numbers of such reports received and to provide the information the honourable member has requested would require a major clerical task involving the examination of departmental records. I am not prepared to authorise the effort and expense which would be involved in providing an answer to the honourable member's question.

Unemployment Benefit Claims (Question No. 1664)

Mr Wilson asked the Minister for Social

Security, upon notice:

(1)   How many claims have been received for unemployment benefits since 1 January 1973.

(2)   How many of those claims have been rejected.

(3)   What are the principal reasons for the rejection of such claims.

Mr Hayden - The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1)   The number of claims received for unemployment benefit from 1 January 1973 to 1 December 1973 was 286,012.

(2)   and (3) Statistics of unemployment benefit claims rejected are not maintained and the data required could not be obtained without an unreasonable amount of work.

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