Long-term Unemployed Persons (Hansard, 18 March 1986)

§ 27. Mr. Rowe
asked the Paymaster General what percentage of those long-term unemployed so far approached under the Manpower Services Commission's jobcentre initative have responded positively to the approach; what percentage have accepted an offer from the list of openings available through the Manpower Services Commission by item; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Lang
Over 73 per cent. of those so far approached have responded positively by attending for interview. Of those:

19 per cent. of those interviewed have been submitted to a job;

21 per cent. to a community programme place;

1 per cent. to a voluntary project programme opportunity;

5 per cent. for entry into a job club;

14 per cent. to an opportunity for further training;

14 per cent. to a place upon a restart course;

4 per cent. to an information session about starting their own business under the enterprise allowance scheme;

9 per cent. have been referred to other agencies or to specialist Manpower Services Commission services;

12 per cent. declined an offer and

8 per cent. were not made an offer.

These percentages exceed 100 because some people were offered more than one type of opportunity.

§ 29. Mr. Lofthouse
asked the Paymaster General what was the real value of the allowance paid to long-term unemployed workers on the special temporary employment programme in 1979 compared with the current average wage on the community programme.

§ Mr. Lang
Under both the special temporary employment programme and the community programme. workers have been paid the locally agreed hourly rate for the job, not an allowance. For both programmes there have been limits on the extent to which sponsors of projects are reimbursed the wage costs of participants. Under the special temporary employment programme, this limit was £71 per week per participant in 1979. Adjusting this figure according to the retail prices index would raise it to £122.80 at January 1986 prices. The limit for the community programme is £63 per week per participant, excluding managers and supervisors whose wages are reimbursed in full. However, the figures are not directly comparable because of the large numbers of part-time workers on community programme projects.