§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those categories of persons who do not qualify to receive special unemployment assistance as is given to young people or those nearing retirement.
§ Mr. GoldingThere are no categories of persons who are excluded from all the special employment and training measures. The youth opportunities programme, community industry and in practice most of the special training programmes are confined to young people. The special temporary employment programme is limited to persons over 18 and is concentrated in the areas of highest unemployment with priority given to people aged 19 to 24 who have been unemployed six months or more and to people aged 25 and over who have been unemployed for at least 12 months. The small firms employment subsidy applies to small manufacturing firms in the private sector in assisted areas and the inner city partnership areas but, as with838W the temporary employment subsidy, the subsidies apply to workers of any age. The job release scheme is restricted to 64-year-old men and 59-year-old women who give up their job but the replacement condition has no age limitation. The job introduction scheme is directed at disabled people of any age.