HC Deb 06 December 1983 vol 50 cc117-8W
19. Sir Peter Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further provision he is making to allow Manpower Services Commission community programmes to continue.

Mr. Peter Morrison

My right hon. Friend announced on 16 November that an additional £10 million had been provided for the community programme in the current financial year, and that it will be extended for a further two years to October 1986. The objective remains to run the programme on the basis of the existing target of 130,000 filled places.

27. Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the progress of the community programme.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 16 November. — [Vol. 48, c.481.]

44. Mr. Straw

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the Manpower Services Commission concerning its approach to assistance within the community programme schemes to projects which involve instruction in ethnic minority mother tongues.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I have made known to the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission my view that the community benefit which may accrue from teaching ethnic minority languages is limited and therefore unlikely to meet the basic criterion of the community programme.

63. Mr. Haselhurst

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss the administration of the community programme.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission frequently to discuss many matters, including the community programme.

67. Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when it became clear that the community programme would be oversubscribed in Somerset.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The community programme is not oversubscribed in Somerset, but has grown faster than anticipated nationally. The Government have provided an additional £10 million for the current financial year, but we need to regulate the number of filled places in all areas for the time being in order to remain within the financial limit for the year. The position will be reviewed after Christmas.