§ 47. Mr. Beithasked the Paymaster General whether he has any plans to allow unemployed persons not in receipt of benefit to take up places on community programme schemes.
§ Mr. LangWe have no present plans to change the criteria for entry to the community programme which give priority to those long-term unemployed people who are directly or indirectly in receipt of state benefits. Exceptions are allowed for managers, supervisors and other key workers with skills essential for the successful operation of a project and for whom no suitably qualified replacement is available for the priority group.
§ 52. Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the funding available for the community programme.
§ Mr. LangThe Government are providing significant resources for the community programme amounting to 143W some £700 million in 1985–86 and £1 billion in 1986–87. This should enable 300,000 people to benefit from the programme in a full year.