§ 2. Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many single parents are now receiving payments under the pilot job training scheme child care provisions.
§ Mr. CopeThere are seven single parents on the new job training scheme who are receiving payments for child care provision under the pilot scheme.
§ Mrs. MahonWhat does the Minister intend to do about this disgraceful con trick that has been perpetrated on single parents? He knows full well that to qualify and be available for work they must lose £9 in long-term benefit. Will he change that disgraceful situation?
§ Mr. CopeWe shall review the pilot scheme when it ends later this month. I stress that it is only a pilot scheme at the moment. The hon. Lady's question relates to the eligibility for the new job training scheme. We have placed those who have been looking for work for six months or more at the head of our priorities. Those are the right priorities.
§ Ms. RichardsonWhy is it a pilot scheme? The pilot scheme is operating in 10 JTS areas. A large number of single parents and other single people are on JTS. What are the Minister and his Department doing to ensure that single parents, whether women or men, know about the availability of child care payments? Seven is an appallingly low figure. What will happen when JTS is merged with the community programme? The Minister said that he would not extend the payments. Does that mean that he is against helping single parents to work and train?
§ Mr. CopeI did not say that. I said that we will review the pilot scheme when it finishes at the end of this month, and look into the valid questions that the hon. Lady has asked. As for the new scheme, the hon. Lady must await the White Paper, which my right hon. Friend will publish shortly.