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James Purnell, One of your proposals is that unemployed drug users will have to accept treatment for their drug habit before receiving any benefit. How will you know if somebody is a drug user or not?
Asked by jodywhales on Aug 10 2008 4:05:03 PM and supported by 19 members
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Answer

Let's be clear, drugs ruin people’s lives and we should do all we can to get people who are hooked on drugs to kick their habit. Our plan is to make identification of problem drug use a part of the new claim process for benefits. For those claiming the main unemployment benefit, JSA, we will strengthen guidance for advisers to help them to identify claimants who may be dependent on heroin or crack cocaine. Those identified will then be required to see a drug treatment provider. We also propose to share information between Jobcentre Plus and the police, probation services and prisons. MORE!

1 comment

iberian at Aug 10 2008 12:00:00 AM : Yes, good point. Most drug users have never been convicted, so are we looking at drug tests as part of the benefit claiming process?

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Brian Barwick Jeff Winter Hazel Blears Adam Crozier James Purnell Trevor Philips David Miliband Gordon Brown GILLIAN PARKER QPM, BSc.(Hons), MSt.(Cantab) John Hemming Douglas Carswell Paul Hudson Tony Blair Banksy Inzamam ul Haq