§ 23. Sir J. Edenasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are employed by the Manpower Services Commission in respect of the job creation scheme; how many jobs have been provided in the building industry 527W By the job creation scheme; at what cost per job; and how this compares with the number of jobs that were provided by the building industry itself before the Manpower Services Commission came into being.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that people working under the Job Creation Programme are not employed by the Manpower Services Commission but by the project sponsors. Up to 5th November 1976 around 7,000 of the 48,000 jobs approved under the Job Creation Programme involved construction. The average cost of each job created under the Job Creation Programme is £1,347. No separate information is available on the cost of jobs involving construction. In January 1974, the month in which the Commission came into being, 1,310,300 people were employed in the construction industry.
§ 30. Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will extend the job creation scheme beyond 30th September 1977; and whether he has any other steps in mind for strengthening the work of the Manpower Services Commission.
§ Mr. GoldingThe Government, in consultation with the Manpower Services Commission, are currently considering the future of the Job Creation Programme. The Commission has recently published a review document "Towards a Comprehensive Manpower Policy", which sets out ways in which the Commission's activities may develop. The Government attach importance to the development of longer-term manpower policies which support our economic and industrial strategies, and have welcomed this document.
§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total allocation of funds in the current year for the job creation scheme in the North-East of England; and how it compares with amounts allocated to other regions.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the sums allocated to areas under the Job Creation Programme relate to the duration of the programme—October 1975 to September 1977. Allocations are not528W made on the basis of the calendar or financial year. The allocations made to each area of Great Britain are as follows:
Area Allocation (£m) London and South-East 5.0 Merseyside 13.0 Midlands 4.5 Northern (including Cumbria) 14.0 North-West (excluding Merseyside) 7.0 Scotland 21.0 South-West 4.5 Wales 9.5 Yorkshire and Humberside 6.0 Total 84.5
§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further allocation of funds for job creation in the North-East of England during the coming year.
§ Mr. GoldingThe future of the Job Creation Programme during the coming year is currently being considered.
§ 149. Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the funds allocated for job creation in the North-East of England to run out.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, if the current application rate continues, sufficient applications to take up all the funds presently allocated to the North-East will have been received by the end of February 1977.