§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on how the training and employment grants scheme operates in Scotland; what criteria are used to assess entitlement; how post codes are used to identify eligible areas and if he will make a statement. [39294]
§ Mr. Raymond S. RobertsonI have been asked to reply.
The training and employment grants scheme is operated by Scottish Enterprise through its network of local enterprise companies. The scheme is designed to increase access to employment opportunities for young and long-term unemployed people, and to enhance their employability through the provision of training and work experience. The scheme operates in selected postcode areas of Scotland where employment opportunities are generally low and unemployment high. The designation of the eligible areas for TEGS is a two-tier process. The first tier ranks every postcode in the SE area based on levels of unemployment. Three factors are applied: the proportion of unemployed people in the area, numbers of long-term unemployed males and the rate of change in the numbers of long-term unemployed males. The second tier relies on judgments by LECs based on their knowledge of local needs and unemployment patterns using a number of criteria which focus on linking unemployed people into the wider economy.