Job Clubs

HC Deb 13 February 1990 vol 167 cc213-4W

55. Mr. David Martin

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have received assistance through job clubs.

Mr. Eggar

Since the job club programme started in November 1984, over 365,000 people have received assistance. Of these over 200,000 have gone directly into jobs and over 52,000 have taken up some other options such as training, self-employment or further education.

80. Mr. Clelland

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if job clubs are to become one of the conditions in the actively seeking work regulations implementing the Social Security Act 1989.

Mr. Eggar

For claimants to be regarded as seeking work actively, they must take reasonable steps to seek work in each week for which they claim. Active membership of a job club is a way of satisfying the new conditions and a good way of finding a job. Latest figures show that 69 per cent. of job club leavers go into a job, self-employment, further education or training. Membership is voluntary and the new legislation does not mean that claimants are required to join job clubs.

79. Mr. Kennedy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the range of facilities available to users of job clubs in the more remote areas; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Eggar

Members of job clubs in the more remote areas have available the full range of facilities available at other job clubs. These include payment of fares to attend job club. Additionally, an open learning package is provided to help members who cannot attend as often as is usual. The adequacy of facilities is kept under review.

The employment service seeks to provide access to job clubs for long-term unemployed people living in rural areas wherever possible. A further extension of the service occurred on 12 February 1990 with the opening of Portree job club on the Isle of Skye.