HC Deb 15 July 1980 vol 988 cc468-9W
Mr. Jim Callaghan

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what allocation of money has been made for the Manchester county under the job creation programme.

Mr. Jim Lester

Annual plans for special programmes for the unemployed—the special temporary employment programme for certain unemployed adults and the youth opportunities programme for unemployed young people—are prepared by the 28 area boards which cover convenient geographical areas.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the area board for Greater Manchester, in common with all others throughout Great Britain, has no budget of its own. Budgets were allocated to area boards as part of the planning process during the first year of operation of special programmes. For the second and this financial year area boards were asked to prepare plans which would meet the needs of unemployed young people in terms of both scale and types of provision. No financial limitations were imposed at area level. The plan submitted by the Manchester board was approved.