Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will revert to the former practice of six months' retrospection for application for employment transfer scheme payments.
§ Mr. Golding:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the purpose of the employment transfer scheme is to encourage unemployed workers and those under threat of redundancy to take up employment beyond normal daily travelling distance of their homes. There are no plans to revert to the practice of including those who start 10W next four years; how it will be divided; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Shirley Williams:I have decided that the planned totals for the science budget at 1978 survey prices should be increased by £10 million in 1979–80, £10 million in 1980–81, £12 million in 1981–82 and £15 million in 1982–83. This will make it possible to exploit a wide range of opportunities for advance in, for example, engineering, including microelectronics, and in other areas supported by the Science Research Council which help to maintain our national scientific capability and contribute to developments in industry; studies relevant to cancer and brain disorders; geological programmes with potential for energy and mineral resources; and agricultural research with potential for higher crop yields. It will also benefit the training of postgraduate students and provide greater scope for promising young scientists.
I have accepted the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils that the allocations in 1979–80, subject to parliamentary approval, and the growth guidelines for planning by the recipient bodies from 1980–81 to 1982–83 should be: work before applying for assistance under the scheme.
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications he has received in the current financial year and/or the same period in 1977–78 for payments under the employment transfer scheme; how many applications were successful, and how many were refused and, in each case, how many payments/refusals were in respect of school leavers; what were the reasons for refusals; and how many refusals were for late application.
§ Mr. Golding:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the numbers of successful applications for 11W assistance under the employment transfer scheme are as follows:
Period No. of successful applications 1st April 1977 to 30th September 1977 12,007 1st October 1977 to 31st March 1978 14,533 1st April 1978 to 30th September 1978 12,169 I regret that the remaining information requested is not available.