§ 1. Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has made any assessment of the effectiveness of the community industry projects; and if he has plans to extend the schemes.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Employment (Mr. Michael Alison)A review was completed earlier this year of the role and objectives of community industry. The review made recommendations for improving the effectiveness of community industry and these have been generally welcomed by the Government. The future contribution which community industry can make in helping the young unemployed will be referred to by my right hon. Friend later today.
§ Mr. SpearingDoes the Minister recall that on 28 July the Government conceded that community industry fulfilled a most important function? Has an application for a 2,000-place increase in community industry been received? If so, and if it is not to be granted, how does the Minister reconcile that with the Government's previous statement? Is it not important that the least privileged of the unemployed, which this scheme particularly helps, should continue to be helped by expanding this imaginative project?
§ Mr. AlisonAs to the future expansion of community industry, I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await my right hon. Friend's statement to be made later this afternoon. The hon. Gentleman will recollect that in 1981–82 there was an increase of 1,000 places in the programme.