§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers were covered by temporary employment subsidy in the North-West at the end of each month since the inception of the scheme.
§ Mr. GoldingI regret the information is not available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, the cumulative total of jobs which had been covered by approved applications at the end of each month since the inception of the scheme is as follows:
1975 September … … … … 540 October … … … … 2,155 November … … … … 2,649 December … … … … 4,321 1976 January … … … … 5,268 February … … … … 7,051 March … … … … 8,533 April … … … … 10,750 May … … … … 15,489 June … … … … 18,794 July … … … … 24,024 August … … … … 28,580 September … … … … 34,778 October … … … … 38,216 November … … … … 43,371 December … … … … 47,551 1977 January … … … … 49,742 February … … … … 54,513 March … … … … 56,596 April … … … … 62,438 May … … … … 64,873
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average period of time required to process a claim for temporary employment subsidy in the North-West in 1977; and how this compares with 1976.
§ Mr. GoldingThe average period of time in 1977 has been about six to eight weeks. The average for 1976 was about four to five weeks.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspectors of claims for temporary employment subsidy are currently employed by his Department in the North-West; and how many there were on 31st December 1976 and 30th June 1976.
§ Mr. GoldingThere axe three fulltime officials currently employed on visit-540W ing firms. On 31st December 1976 there were two and on 30th June 1976, one.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of temporary employment subsidy claims outstanding in the North-West at the end of each month since the inception of the scheme.
§ Mr. GoldingDetails are as follows:
Aplications pending 1975 September … … … … 1 October … … … … 4 November … … … … 5 December … … … … 3 1976 January … … … … 5 February … … … … 10 March … … … … 33 April … … … … 57 May … … … … 79 June … … … … 93 July … … … … 83 August … … … … 97 September … … … … 101 October … … … … 123 November … … … … 120 December … … … … 133 1977 January … … … … 142 February … … … … 143 March … … … … 187 April … … … … 207 May … … … … 238
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims for temporary employment subsidy have been made in the North-West since the inception of the scheme.
§ Mr. GoldingAs at 17th June 1977, 1,232 applications for TES had been received in the North-West Region, covering 84,236 workers. Of these, 947 applications covering 66,956 workers had been approved and 253 applications covering 16,006 workers were under consideration. There were 58 applications for TES (supplement) covering 4,253 workers of which 56 applications covering 4,184 workers were under consideration.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the total expenditure on temporary employment subsidy in the North-West; and what proportion this is of national expenditure on this item.
§ Mr. GoldingI regret that records of actual expenditure are not maintained by 541W region. As at 17th June 1977, however, the estimated gross cost in subsidy for the North-West Region, including future commitment on approved applications and assuming 12 months' payment in each case, is £63 million. This represents a quarter of the national estimated gross cost for the scheme.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of workers in the North-West for whom temporary employment subsidy entitlements have been exhausted; and how many of them are employed in textiles and footwear.
§ Mr. GoldingI regret that precise information is not available, but it is estimated that as at 17th June 1977 about 14,000 jobs were no longer supported because TES had been exhausted. It is estimated that about 55 per cent.—7,500 jobs—were in the textile industry and about 5 per cent.—700 jobs—in footwear.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many companies have successfully renegotiated renewals of temporary employment subsidies for workers in their employment in the North-West.
§ Mr. GoldingNone. As at 17th June 1977, 56 applications were under consideration and two had been rejected.