§ Mr. LeightonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the differences between the 1990–91 plans published in the 1990 public expenditure White Paper and the 1990–91 estimated outturn.
Mr. JacksonMy Department's report, copies of which are available in the Library, contains in paragraph 20 the information requested.
§ Mr. LeightonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new commitments have been undertaken since publication of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper which will involve spending in years after 1993–94.
Mr. JacksonThe new schemes undertaken are as follows:
The job interview guarantee is a new initiative which guarantees all participants an interview for a specific vacancy: it aims to change employers' perceptions of long-term unemployed people and assist long-term claimants to cope more effectively in the jobs market. It is now being extended beyond the inner city areas where it was successfully piloted.
Programme development funds pilots provide local flexibility of funding to tailor action to special inner city needs.
Training credits are being piloted by 10 training and enterprise councils. The credits allow young people to "buy" approved training from an employer or specialist provider. The pilots will be evaluated and decisions made on whether to further extend the schemes.
The teacher placement service, responsibility for which transfers from the DTI in April 1991, is expected to involve spending after 1993–94. It is the intention of the Government to transfer ministerial responsibility for offshore oil safety to my Department during 1991.