HC Deb 24 July 1996 vol 282 cc448-9W
Mr. Alan Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many people participated in work trials during 1995–96; and how many of these subsequently(a) obtained employment, (b) signed on as unemployed and (c) claimed an incapacity benefit; [39097]

(2) how many employers were contracted with the Employment Service to run work trials during 1995–96. [39098]

Mr. Forth

Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Robert Horne to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 24 July 1996: The Secretary of State has asked Mike Fogden to reply to your questions about the operation of Work Trials. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to him as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am answering in his absence as Finance Director of the Agency. During the 1995/96 operational year 29,434 people participated in a Work Trial. Of these, 17,416 obtained employment following the trial. Work Trial participants remain registered unemployed and in receipt of benefit during their trial; participants whose trials do not lead to employment may consequently continue to be unemployed. Information is not collected about people participating in Work Trials whilst on an incapacity benefit. We do not collect information on the number of individual employers participating in Work Trials. I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many unemployed people have taken part in workstart schemes; and what assessment she has made of their effectiveness. [39101]

Mr. Forth

Various workstart schemes have been piloted during the last three years. In total, almost 2,900 people have been placed into work. Assessment of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of workstart is getting very long-term unemployed people into work is continuing.

Mr. Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated cost to her Department of running(a) the work trials scheme, (b) the jobmatch scheme and (c) workstart. [39099]

Mr. Forth

In this financial year, £6,435,000 has been allocated for running work trials, £5,104,000 for jobmatch and £2,350,000 for workstart. This includes expenditure by both the Employment Service, and the training and enterprise councils involved in the jobmatch pilots.

Mr. Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people participated in the jobmatch schemes during 1995–96; what was the average amount payable to each participant; and how many participants subsequently(a) obtained employment, (b) signed on as unemployed or (c) claimed an incapacity benefit. [39100]

Mr. Forth

Between April 1995 and March 1996, 3,361 people started the jobmatch programme. The estimated average amount paid to participants in allowances during this period was around £1,200. Jobmatch participants are in employment. Information is not yet available on the employment status of participants after the jobmatch allowance ceases. A follow-up survey of people who started jobmatch during 1995–96 is being conducted.