§ Miss Wrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons in Birmingham are currently being assisted by the various schemes and arrangements for job saving and employment creation for which his Department is responsible; how many of these persons are under 21 years of age; and whether he intends to continue these schemes at least at the present level in Birmingham.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThe available information is as follows:
Special employment measure Number of persons assisted Temporary Short-Time Working Compensation Scheme 15,004 Job Release Scheme 1,261 Small Firms Employment Subsidy 493 I regret that a breakdown by age for these figures is not available.
In my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 14 February 1980 he announced that the small firms employment subsidy would close for application on 31 March 1980, although claims could continue to be made up to the week ending 5 October 1980. The temporary short-time working compensation scheme is at present due to close for applications 307W on 31 March 1981 and the job release scheme on 5 April 1981. We shall, in line with previous practice, make an announcement about the future of these schemes when we have completed the annual review of special employment measures.