Part I Claims for and Payments and General Administration of Benefit
F2Work-focused interviews
2CF1 Optional work-focused interviews.
1
Regulations may make provision for conferring on the prescribed authorities functions in connection with conducting work-focused interviews in cases where such interviews are requested or consented to by persons to whom this section applies.
2
This section applies to persons making claims for or entitled to—
a
any of the benefits listed in section 2A(2) above, or
b
any prescribed benefit;
and it so applies regardless of whether such persons have, in accordance with regulations under section 2A above, already taken part in interviews conducted under such regulations.
3
The functions which may be conferred on the prescribed authorities by regulations under this section include functions relating to—
a
the obtaining and receiving of information for the purposes of work-focused interviews conducted under the regulations;
b
the recording and forwarding of information supplied at, or for the purposes of, such interviews;
c
the taking of steps to identify potential employment or training opportunities for persons taking part in such interviews.
4
Regulations under this section may make different provision for different areas.
5
In this section—
“authorities” means a Northern Ireland department and any other body established by or under a statutory provision;
“work-focused interview”, in relation to a person to whom this section applies, means an interview conducted for such purposes connected with employment or training in the case of such a person as may be prescribed; and the purposes which may be so prescribed include—
- a
purposes connected with the existing or future employment or training prospects or needs of such a person, and
- b
(in particular) assisting or encouraging such a person to enhance his employment prospects.
- a
Ss. 2A, 2B and preceding cross-heading inserted (1.12.1999) by S.I. 1999/3147 (N.I. 11), arts. 1(4), 54