HC Deb 04 December 1979 vol 975 cc208-9
1. Mr. Bowden

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the job release scheme.

The Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. James Prior)

Take-up of the job release scheme has grown considerably since its expansion on 1 May this year. Forty-five thousand, seven hundred applications were accepted between 1 May and 7 November, and the total number receiving job release allowance has risen to 55,000.

Mr. Bowden

Does my right hon. Friend agree, fully taking into account the problem of resources, that a flexible retirement system is becoming increasingly attractive? Will he carry out some research and try to find out whether it is possible to bring in such a scheme in stages?

Mr. Prior

There is such a scheme in operation in the United States which generally results in people retiring earlier on a lower retirement benefit than they would otherwise obtain. I do not think that we can afford such a scheme at this stage, but I shall give further attention to the matter over the next year or so.

Mr. John Grant

Will the Minister confirm that the special extension of this scheme to disabled people has been particularly helpful this year? Does he not agree that all employment schemes are inter-related? Will he therefore comment on the reports that the cuts in the special temporary employment programme are under serious reconsideration? If not, a number of good schemes will be murdered.

Mr. Prior

No further cuts are contemplated in the special temporary employment programme after the cuts which were made during the summer.

I agree with the hon. Gentleman's point about job release for disabled persons. Two thousand five hundred disabled persons have benefited from the scheme, and we should give further encouragement to it.

Mr. Madel

Will the Minister confirm that, although the scheme is currently helping a number of people to find a job, a person's release under this scheme depends on negotiations between employer and employee? The employer's attitude is bound to be influenced by the local labour market conditions.

Mr. Prior

The employer must guarantee that he will find someone else to take the place of the person who is released. That is bound to have an effect on the take-up of the scheme, which is why, in all probability, the number of people taking up the scheme in the South-East has been lower than in other parts of the country.

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