§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the weekly cost to the Manpower Services Commission of each place on the community programme; what is the breakdown between payments to staff and participants; and what proposals there are to increase such payments.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe 1985 Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9428) estimates the gross cost to the Department of Employment in the previous year of a participant in the community programme as some £4,290 per year. The administrative costs of a place on the programme to the Manpower Services Commission are estimated at some £76 on the same basis. There are no current proposals to increase the average wage limit applying on the community programme although most programme participants will benefit financially from the changes in employees' National insurance contributions and personal tax allowances announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget.
§ Mr. Lawlerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the participants in the community programme nationally and in west Yorkshire are of (a) Asian origin, (b) west Indian origin and (c) white.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonCommunity programme entrants are not classified by ethnic origin, but sample surveys taken at six monthly intervals indicate that between 4 per cent. and 9 per cent. of programme participants are from ethnic minorities.