§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria are used for selecting persons for courses at the Supplementary Benefits Commission's reestablishment centres; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe Supplementary Benefits Commission provides re-establishment centres on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. I understand that the first consideration in deciding to invite a man to attend a re-establishment centre is that he appears to be suffering from the ill effects of a long period of unemployment or irregular employment, and would be likely to benefit from a course designed to restore the habit of working. The only other relevant consideration is whether his record suggests that he is
1973 1974 1975 1. (a) Numbers leaving centres … … … … 2,035 1,962 2,001 (b) Completed courses … … … … 1,390 1,195 1,060 (c) Did not complete courses … … … … 645 767 941 (d) Discharged to employment … … … … 964 793 518 (e) Discharged to await placing action by Employment Service Agency's local Offices. 426 402 542 Percentage Percentage Percentage 2. Proportion in employment six months after discharge— (a)Of those at 1(b) … … … … 53 40 26 (b) Of those at l(d) … … … … 60 49 46 (c) Of those at l(e) … … … … 37 23 8
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many re-establishment centres are run by the Supplementary Benefits Commission; how many places are available at them; what is the average length of attendance; and how many persons attended in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. DeakinsThere are 17 re-establishment centres with a total of 516 places and the average length of stay is about six to eight weeks. The following numbers of persons passed through the centres during each of the last five years:
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1972 … … … … 2,301 1973 … … … … 2,030 1974 … … … … 1,962 1975 … … … … 2,001 1976 … … … … 2,483 likely to have a disruptive effect on the other men at the centre or on the neighbourhood generally.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of persons attending the Supplementary Benefits Commission's re-establishment centres in each of the past five years: (a) obtained employment within one month of leaving the centre, (b) obtained employment within three months of leaving the centre and (c) was in employment six months after leaving the centre.
§ Mr. DeakinsInformation is not available about the proportion of persons attending the Supplementary Benefits Commission's re-establishment centres who obtained employment within particular periods of leaving the centres. The position at the date of discharge and the position after six months in respect of the only categories for which a follow-up is undertaken were as follows: