HC Deb 26 October 1972 vol 843 cc414-5W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the practice of issuing rail warrants and/or fare and subsistence allowances for Ugandan Asians sent for interviews for employment, etc., is also the rule applied when sending British born citizens to apply for jobs; when this practice was made generally applicable for job seekers; and what, for any stated period of time, is, or has been the cost of such expenditure.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Yes. Free return fares for unemployed workers attending employment interviews away from home have been payable, subject to the eligibility conditions prescribed in the Employment Transfer Scheme, since 1st September, 1969. A subsistence allowance has been payable under the Scheme since 21st September, 1972 to workers who are necessarily away from their homes overnight for such job interviews. The latter is normally restricted to workers living in assisted areas but in the exceptional circumstances my right hon. Friend decided to extend the facility to Ugandan Asians seeking their first job in this country. The cost of fares for interviews was £12,237.86 in the financial year ended 31st March, 1972. Figures for the cost of the subsistence allowance introduced only last month are not available.