David Ruffley MP, the Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform, will be visiting Jobcentre Plus in Bury St Edmunds on Friday 9 June from 10.30am until 3pm.

During the morning David will be given a thorough briefing on the work done by Jobcentre Plus. This will include:

• An explanation of the organisation.

• An overview of the New Deal, Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and Disability Living Allowance.

• A briefing from a Local Authority representative on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

• How the Jobcentre staff view the January 2006 Green Paper on Incapacity Benefit.

Over lunch managers and members of staff will have the opportunity to put questions to David, in his role as Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform, on how they would like to see future developments progress.

In the afternoon David will be given the opportunity to 'walk through' a CMS claim for Job Seekers Allowance from beginning to end and discuss the process with practitioners.

David said:

'I am very much looking forward to my visit to Jobcentre Plus in Bury St Edmunds and seeing at first hand the incredibly important work they do.

'My visit will also give managers and members of staff the opportunity to tell me, in my role as Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform, what changes they would like to see to the system of Job Seekers Allowance and incapacity benefits.'