HC Deb 19 November 1987 vol 122 cc623-4W
Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications for loans under the career development scheme have been made to date in each pilot area and in total; and in each case how many were rejected.

Mr. Cope

As at 16 November 1987 the total numbers of applications and formal rejections notified to my department by participating banks for each of the four pilot areas and in total was as follows:

£ Aberdeen Bristol/Bath Greater Manchester Reading/Slough Total
300–499 2 15 12 1 30
500–1,000 20 40 69 36 165
1,001–2,000 6 22 22 30 80
2,001–3,000 13 26 21 24 84
3,001–4,000 14 14 8 11 47
4,001–5,000 13 23 8 33 77
All values 68 140 140 135 483

£500 was the minimum level for career development loans from the start of the scheme on 15 April 1986. This was reduced to £300 in November 1986.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the career development scheme to date in each of the pilot areas.

Mr. Cope

The career development loan scheme has made an encouraging start in all the pilot areas. Greater Manchester, with the largest population, continues to attract most applications but the level of interest has steadily grown in the three other areas.

A wide variety of training has been made possible by the scheme, including post-graduate courses in management, personnel and marketing; courses to gain professional qualifications in law and accountancy; secretarial, driver training, hairdressing, and hotel and catering courses. Over three quarters of trainees completing their courses are already in employment and over half of these were unemployed when they made their applications.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many loans have been made under the career development scheme to date in each pilot area and in total;

Number of career development loan applications Number of formal rejections
Aberdeen 159 91
Bristol and Bath 202 62
Greater Manchester 385 245
Reading and Slough 170 35
Total of four areas 916 433

The participating banks receive a greater number of additional inquiries about the scheme which are withdrawn before being formally rejected. Detailed statistics are not kept on these.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many loans between(a) £500 to £1,000, (b) £1,000 to £2,000, (c) £2,000 to £3,000, (d) £3,000 to £4,000 and (e) £4,000 to £5,000 have been made under the career development scheme to date in each of the pilot areas and in total;

(2) how many loans have been made under the career development scheme in each pilot area and in total to date, the value of which are (a) between £300 and £500 and (b) less than £300, respectively.

Mr. Cope

At 16 November 1987, the number of career development loans notified to my Department by the participating banks was as follows:

(2) what is the total value of loans made under the career development scheme to date in each pilot area and in total.

Mr. Lee

At 16 November 1987 the number and value of career development loans notified to my Department by participating banks for each of the four pilot areas and in total was as follows:

Number of loans Value of loans £
Aberdeen 68 175,604
Bristol and Bath 140 301,555
Greater Manchester 140 210,503
Reading and Slough 135 332,020
TOTAL 483 1,019,682