§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
§ Mr. MayhewThe number and cost of permanent staff in the information officer group in the DE Group at these dates was as follows:
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply]: 26 February 1980, c. 505]: No. The scheme is run by Coventry social services department and funded by the Manpower Services Commission under the special temporary employment programme. As STEP projects can no longer be renewed or approved in Coventry the scheme will end later this year unless another source of finance is found by the city council. It is for the MSC to consider approving any similar schemes which may be proposed in areas where STEP is still available provided that such schemes meet the programme's criteria.