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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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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.
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jodywhales at Sep 04 2008 12:00:00 AM How will you resolve disputes if an advisor identifies a claimant as a drug user and the claimant denies using drugs? And how will you "..share information between Jobcentre Plus and the police, probation services and prisons." ?