Inner Cities (Hansard, 2 February 1988)

§ 47. Mr. Loyden
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to improve employment opportunities in the inner cities.

§ Mr. Cope
The Department of Employment and Manpower Services Commission provide a wide range of national programmes which aim to equip individuals with the skills and motivation to compete for available jobs and to stimulate enterprise and the growth of small businesses. The Government have guaranteed that(a) all unemployed 16 and 17.year.olds receive an offer of a place on YTS (b) all 18 to 25-year-olds unemployed between six and 12 months receive an offer of a place on the job training scheme, enterprise allowance scheme or in a jobclub; and (c) all those unemployed over six months receive a restart interview every six months. These guarantees provide direct help to unemployed inner city residents and serve to target resources on those areas of greatest need.
The level of commitment is reflected in the estimated expenditure by the Department and the Manpower Services Commission of over £1.1 billion in the 57 urban partnership authorities.

§ 239. Mr. Anthony Coombs
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the contribution his Department is making to the Government's inner cities initiatives.

§ Mr. Cope
The Department of Employment and Manpower Services Commission provide a wide range of national programmes which aim to equip individuals with the skills and motivation to compete for available jobs and to stimulate enterprise and the growth of small businesses. The Government have guaranteed that(a) all unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds receive an offer of a place on the youth training scheme; (b) all 18 to 25-year-olds unemployed between six and 12 months receive an offer of a place on the job training scheme, enterprise allowance scheme or in a jobclub; and (c) all those unemployed over six months receive a restart interview every six months. These guarantees provide direct help to unemployed inner city residents and serve to target resources on those areas of greatest need.
The level of commitment is reflected in the estimated expenditure by the Department and the Manpower Services Commission of over £1.1 billion in the 57 urban partnership authorities.