Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Employment Zones (Amendment) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 24th April 2006.

Amendments to the Employment Zones Regulations 2003

2. —(1)The Employment Zones Regulations 2003( 3 ) shall be amended in accordance with the following provisions.

(2) In regulation 1(2)—

(a) in the definition of “Employment Zones Regulations”, after the words “Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2005” insert the words “and the Employment Zones (Allocation to Contractors) Pilot Regulations 2006( 4 )”;

(b) for the definition of “ New Deal for Young People programme” substitute—

“ “New Deal for Young People programme” means a programme provided in pursuance of arrangements made by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973 ( 5 ) and specified in regulation 75(1)(a)(i)(bb) (Gateway to Work), 75(1)(a)(ii) (the Self-Employed Employment Option, the Voluntary Sector Option or the Environment Task Force Option of New Deal) or 75(1)(b)(ii) (the Full-Time Education and Training Option of New Deal) of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996. ” .

(3) In regulation 2—

(a) before paragraph (1) insert—

“ (1) This regulation applies to a claimant—

(a) who is ordinarily resident within an employment zone, or

(b) whose address for payment of his jobseeker’s allowance is located within an employment zone. ” ;

(b) renumber the existing paragraph (1) as (1A);

(c) in that renumbered paragraph, for the words “ordinarily resident within an employment zone” substitute “to whom this regulation applies”;

(d) in paragraph (2), for the words “who is ordinarily resident within an employment zone” substitute “and to whom this regulation applies”;

(e) after paragraph (2) add—

“ (3) The employment officer shall notify the claimant in writing that he is required to participate in the employment zone programme.

(4) A claimant to whom paragraph (1A)(c) or (2)(c) applies shall be treated as having completed so much of an employment zone programme for the purposes of regulations 4 and 5 as is equal to the period of his previous participation in the employment zone programme. ” .

(4) For regulation 3 substitute—

“ Early Entry to an employment zone programme

3. —(1) An employment officer may direct a claimant who is aged 25 years or over to participate in an employment zone programme where—

(a) the claimant has asked to participate in an employment zone programme;

(b) his personal circumstances place him at a significant disadvantage in obtaining employment; and

(c) he is ordinarily resident within an employment zone or his address for payment of his jobseeker’s allowance is located within an employment zone.

(2) An employment officer may direct a claimant who is aged 18 years or over but less than 25 years to participate in an employment zone programme where—

(a) the claimant has asked to participate in an employment zone programme;

(b) his personal circumstances place him at a significant disadvantage in obtaining employment;

(c) he has participated in a New Deal for Young People programme; and

(d) he is ordinarily resident within an employment zone or his address for payment of his jobseeker’s allowance is located within an employment zone.

(3) The employment officer shall notify the claimant in writing that he is required to participate in the employment zone programme. ” .