§ Dr. Hampsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the young people who have benefited from Manpower Services Commission schemes for the alleviation of unemployment had been unemployed for over eight weeks; and what proportion these form of all those out of work for more than eight weeks.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, of a sample of 8,473 young people recruited to the Work Experience Programme 5,790— 68 per cent.—had been unemployed for over eight weks.
A precise figure is not available for the Job Creation Programme but it is estimated that approximately 40,000 young persons aged between 16–24 had been unemployed for over eight weeks on joining the programme.
§ Dr. Hampsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the cost to date of the various schemes run by the Manpower Services Commission to alleviate unemployment amongst young people, the number of people who have benefited from each scheme; and the numbers on each who have been women.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Job Creation Programme has to date approved grants to projects totalling £123.3 million to create 86,000 jobs. The best available estimate is that approximately 130,000 people are, or have at 341W some time been, employed under the programme, and that about 30,000 of these female.
At 18th June 1977 the financial commitment in respect of the Work Experience Programme was £9,379,000. 13,295 young people had benefited under the programme by that date. Of a sample of 8,473 young people who had been recruited to the programme, 4,920— 58 per cent.—were girls.