§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many places currently are provided under the community enterprise programme; what were the figures for each three-monthly period since the programme started; what is the future estimated demand and provisional number; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonAt the end of February 26,624 places were provided under the community enterprise programme. The programme began in April 1981 replacing the special temporary employment programme, which at the end of March 1981 was providing 12,874 places. The number of places since then are as follows:
Number June 1981 15,599 September 1981 19,203 December 1981 23,566 The Manpower Services Commission is being given resources under the community enterprise programme to support 30,000 places at any one time in 1982–83.
251WIn addition to this increase in the programme I have asked the Manpower Services Commission to work out urgently the details of a flexible voluntary scheme which could provide jobs for a further 100,000 people who have been unemployed for some time, on non-profit making schemes of benefit to their own communities.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will authorise the expansion of the community enterprise programme in order to avoid the long-term unemployed losing their positions in April.
§ Mr. AlisonI refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statement of 15 December—[Vol. 15, c. 153]—when he announced that provision for the community enterprise programme is to be expanded in 1982–83 to 30,000 places.