§ Mr. Luceasked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of projects under the Job Creation Programme involves: (a) industry and (b) local authorities; to what extent such projects are geared to the interests of small businesses and the self-employed; and whether he is circulating all projects, and if so, what criteria he is applying.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, that 2 per cent. of projects so far approved are sponsored by private companies, and 65 per cent. are sponsored by local authorities. None of the projects is specifically geared to the interests of small businesses and the self-employed. It is not proposed to circulate details of all projects.
§ Mr. Luceasked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the money spent on the Job Creation Programme is linked to the long-term preparation of young people for productive jobs; what is the average, the maximum 490W and the minimum period for any project; what proportion of projects is intended to be viable and therefore self-financing; and what timescale is allowed for a project to become viable.
§ Mr. GoldingAll projects under tile Job Creation Programme are designed to improve long-term employability. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no project is approved for more than 12 months, and the average length of projects is 31 weeks. There is no fixed minimum duration.
Fewer than 1 per cent. of projects produce significant revenue from the sale of goods or services, and of these, only a minority aim to be self-financing. Like other projects, these are supported for a maximum of 12 months.