HL Deb 12 October 1982 vol 434 cc682-3

2.49 p.m.

Baroness Sharples

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are benefiting from the enterprise allowance scheme.

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, at the end of August 1,048 people were in receipt of this allowance.

Baroness Sharples

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. Will he tell me how many applications are in the pipeline and what is the criteria necessary for applicants to receive the £40 a week?

Am I right in understanding that if they receive the £40 a week to help, with their own £1,000, to set up a business, they do not lose their supplementary benefit or unemployment pay?

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, 1,804 applications have been received and 1,143 have been approved. These are in five pilot areas. They started in England on 25th January, in Wales on the 1st April, and in Scotland on the 12th April, and are due to end on 1st March. To be eligible, applicants must live and intend to set up business in one of these areas. They will need to have been unemployed for at least 13 weeks and must be receiving unemployment or supplementary benefit at the time of making their application. They must also be able to show that they have at least £1,000 which they intend to invest in the business. The scheme is open to people between the age of 18 and State pension age. If they are in receipt of this money, they will not of course be in receipt of unemployment pay.