§ 44. Mr. Martinasked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement concerning the record of Government schemes to help the unemployed move in order to find jobs.
§ Mr. LeeDuring the year ended 31 March 1986 3,300 unemployed people were helped by the employment transfer scheme and a further 11,350 received free forward fares to enable them to take up new jobs. Both these schemes were abolished from April 1986 because they were found not to be cost effective either in reducing unemployment or in helping employers fill vacancies. From June 1986 the job search scheme which assisted about 4,000 people a year with the cost of attending job interviews in other areas was replaced by the travel to interview scheme which has fewer and simpler eligibility rules and therefore helps four or five times as many people.