§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job clubs have been closed since his decision to reduce their number; where they were located; how many had been run by(a) jobcentres and (b) external agencies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeBetween my announcements to the House on 27 January 1989 and 28 April 1989, 131 job clubs had closed. They were located in the following regions:
Number Northern 1 Yorkshire and Humberside 7 East Midlands and Eastern 20 London and South East 20 South West 21 Wales 5 West Midlands 34 North West 22 Scotland 1 A total of 114 of these job clubs had been run by jobcentres and 17 by external agencies. Around 90 more closures are expected by 30 June 1989 in order to bring the network down to the 1,000 or so needed following the substantial and continuing fall in long-term unemployment.
The number of job club places available in 1989–90 will be some 25 per cent. higher than the number of participants in the programme last year. I hope that long-term unemployed people will take advantage of the opportunities open to them to join this valuable programme which has already helped more than 150,000 back into work.