The Employment Zones (Amendment) Regulations 2007

Statutory Instruments

2007 No. 924

social security

The Employment Zones (Amendment) Regulations 2007

Made

19th March 2007

Laid before Parliament

23rd March 2007

Coming into force

23rd April 2007

These Regulations are made in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 60(1), (2) and (9) and 83(4) and (6) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999(1).

The Social Security Advisory Committee has agreed that proposals in respect of these Regulations should not be referred to it(2).

Accordingly the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Regulations.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Employment Zones (Amendment) Regulations 2007 and shall come into force on 23rd April 2007.

Amendments to the Employment Zones Regulations 2003

2.—(1) The Employment Zones Regulations 2003(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2, after paragraph (4) insert—

“(5) Where there is more than one employment zone contractor providing an employment zone programme in the claimant’s zone, the claimant may (subject to paragraphs (6) and (7)) select the contractor with whom he will participate in the programme.

(6) If the claimant has previously begun but not completed an employment zone programme provided by a particular contractor operating in the claimant’s zone, an employment officer may direct the claimant to participate in the programme with that contractor.

(7) If the claimant fails to choose a contractor when requested to do so by an employment officer, the officer may direct him to participate in the programme with a particular contractor.

(8) In this regulation—

“the claimant’s zone” means the employment zone in which the claimant is ordinarily resident or in which his address for payment of his jobseeker’s allowance is located;

“employment zone contractor” means a person who is providing an employment zone programme on behalf of the Secretary of State.”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

James Purnell

Minister of State,

Department for Work and Pensions

19th March 2007

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend regulation 2 of the Employment Zones Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2438) (“the 2003 Regulations”). The 2003 Regulations make provision for jobseeker’s allowance claimants to participate in an employment zone programme established by the Secretary of State in areas of Great Britain known as “employment zones” to assist jobseekers to obtain sustainable employment.

Where more than one contractor provides an employment zone programme in the zone where the claimant resides or receives his jobseeker’s allowance, the amendments provide for a jobseeker to select the contractor - except where the jobseeker has previously begun an employment zone programme but has not completed that programme. In this case the jobseeker may be directed to complete the programme with the same employment zone contractor. If the jobseeker fails to choose a contractor when requested to do so by an employment officer, the officer may direct him to take part in an employment zone programme operated by a particular contractor.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the costs of business, charities or the voluntary sector.

(1)

1999 c.30; subsection (9) is an interpretation provision cited for the meaning given to the words “employment” and “prescribed”.

(2)

See sections 170 and 173(1)(b) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992; section 84(1) of and Schedule 12, Part II (paragraphs 79 and 81(a)) to the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 added that Act to the list of “relevant enactments” in respect of which regulations must normally be referred to the Committee.

(3)

S.I.2003/2438 as amended by S.I.2004/1043, S.I.2005/1744 and S.I.2006/1000.