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Ministers drop benefit sanctions threat from work experience scheme Ministers drop benefit sanctions threat from work experience scheme
(40 minutes later)
All benefit sanctions on the government's work experience scheme are to be dropped by the Department for Work and Pensions following meetings between ministers and employers.All benefit sanctions on the government's work experience scheme are to be dropped by the Department for Work and Pensions following meetings between ministers and employers.
The news was conveyed by Anne Marie Carrie, the chief executive of Barnardo's and one of the employers present at the 90-minute meeting between the employment minister, Chris Grayling, and more than 50 firms involved in the scheme.The news was conveyed by Anne Marie Carrie, the chief executive of Barnardo's and one of the employers present at the 90-minute meeting between the employment minister, Chris Grayling, and more than 50 firms involved in the scheme.
They had met to seek reassurances that the government was not seeking to force young unemployed people into work experience schemes.They had met to seek reassurances that the government was not seeking to force young unemployed people into work experience schemes.
The government says the scheme is voluntary and gives someone eight weeks' work experience. But participants can lose two weeks' jobseeker's allowance if they leave for no reason after more than a week on the scheme.The government says the scheme is voluntary and gives someone eight weeks' work experience. But participants can lose two weeks' jobseeker's allowance if they leave for no reason after more than a week on the scheme.
There have also been suggestions that some jobcentre staff do not make clear that participation on the scheme is voluntary.There have also been suggestions that some jobcentre staff do not make clear that participation on the scheme is voluntary.
The removal of the sanction after one week was a key demand of employers, some of whom said they would withdraw from the scheme unless reforms were made.The removal of the sanction after one week was a key demand of employers, some of whom said they would withdraw from the scheme unless reforms were made.
Grayling claimed the attacks on the scheme, by what the government has described as the "Trotskyist right to work" campaign, had led to an increase in employer interest in joining the scheme.Grayling claimed the attacks on the scheme, by what the government has described as the "Trotskyist right to work" campaign, had led to an increase in employer interest in joining the scheme.
At prime minister's questions David Cameron said 250 extra firms had shown interest in joining.At prime minister's questions David Cameron said 250 extra firms had shown interest in joining.
Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pension secretary, said the protesters outside Tescos were anarchists and half of them were unemployed.Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pension secretary, said the protesters outside Tescos were anarchists and half of them were unemployed.
"The reality for us is that this is a great programme. It is one of the best programmes. I am so proud of this programme. The kids are getting experience," he said. "The reality for us is that this is a great programme … the kids are getting experience," he said.
Grayling said "The participants are volunteers, the employers are volunteers. The employers said to us: 'We would like to modify it. At the moment you have a got a situation where people can leave voluntarily after the first week. We would like to be able to sit down later in a work placement if it is not working and say we want to opt out.' Grayling said: "The participants are volunteers, the employers are volunteers. The employers said to us: 'We would like to modify it. At the moment you have a got a situation where people can leave voluntarily after the first week. We would like to be able to sit down later in a work placement if it is not working and say we want to opt out.'
"We thought that was reasonable so we said fine and we will accept that.""We thought that was reasonable so we said fine and we will accept that."
He added: "If you look at where we have applied sanctions it is not about turning up or not turning up, it is about inappropriate behaviour, such as theft in the workplace."He added: "If you look at where we have applied sanctions it is not about turning up or not turning up, it is about inappropriate behaviour, such as theft in the workplace."
Arguably the rules until now allowed a much wider set of reasons for sanction withdrawal.Arguably the rules until now allowed a much wider set of reasons for sanction withdrawal.
Grayling denied he had caved into the "Trotsykists", saying: "I have listened to our employers we will continue with the work experience scheme. The real argument of the Trotskyist is that unpaid work experience is wrong, and is denying people the right to work; they are wrong." Grayling denied he had caved in to the "Trotsykists", saying: "The real argument of the Trotskyist is that unpaid work experience is wrong, and is denying people the right to work; they are wrong."
Critics of Grayling and the DWP will say that they should have acted earlier in order to get rid of any accusation that the scheme amounted to workfare, since he has been under pressure from employers for more than a week on the issue. Critics of Grayling and the DWP will say that they should have acted earlier in order to get rid of any accusation that the scheme amounted to workfare, since he has been under pressure from employers for more than a week on the issue.