Employment Rehabilitation Centres (Hansard, 3 June 1980)

§ Mr. Alfred Morris
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to the effect on attendance at employment rehabilitation centres of clause 3 of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Jim Lester
[pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1980, c. 118]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that 685W attendance at courses at employment rehabilitation centres (ERCs) constitutes part of the " period of interruption of employment " with reference to which entitlement to invalidity and other benefits is calculated. This will not be affected by the alteration proposed in clause 3 of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill in the rules related to the continuation of a period of interruption of employment. I would not, therefore, expect the clause to have any effect on attendance at ERCs.

§ Mr. Alfred Morris
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) in the last period for which figures are available what proportion of people commencing courses at employment rehabilitation centres (a) completed the course and (b) dropped out in the first week, second week, third week, fourth week, fifth week, sixth week and seventh week;
(2) if he will publish in the Official Report whatever figures are available concerning successful re-establishment in employment of people who have attended courses of employment at rehabilitation centres.

Board Gross annual income^* Gross annual expenditure† Number of full-time staff 1 April 1980 Salary costs as percentage of gross expenditure‡

Air transport and travel … … 6,764,278 6,789,175 76 8.9

Carpet … … 921,000 879,000 14 10.2

Ceramics, glass and mineral products … 4,719,000 4,362,000 112 16.0

Chemical and allied products … … 15,600,000 15,524,000 158 9.3

Clothing and allied products … … 4,438,000 4,369,000 70 9.7

Construction … … 34,018,000 34,587,000 812 10.6

Cotton and allied textiles … … 4,483,000 4,415,000 76 101

Distributive … … 30,665,622 26,214,025 436 9.6

Engineering … … 120,181,000 119,366,000 823 3.9

Foundry industry training committee … 5,945,000 5,912,000 66 8.6

Food, drink and tobacco … … 26,007,556 25,679,316 175 4.4

Furniture and timber … … 6,361,000 6,727,000 100 11.5

Footwear, leather and furskin … 3,302,000 3,125,000 45 8.2

Hotel and catering … … 9,221,998 8,874,847 25S 17.4

Iron and steel … … 11,468,000 11,296,000 55 4.5

Knitting, lace and net … … 1.907,000 1,870,000 47 14.6

Man-made fibres producing … … 163,000 163,000 5 19.6

Paper and paper products … … 4,945,000 4,899,000 75 10.6

Petroleum … … 1,800,000 1,695,000 101 40.8

Printing and publishing … … 10,046,000 10,718,000 163 12.4

Road transport. … … 40,297,000 38,679,000 871 15.4

Rubber and plastics processing … 9,566,000 8,274,000 96 8.8

Shipbuilding … … 6,874,000 6,661,000 87 7.1

Wool, jute and flax … … 1,919,000 1,931,000 58 15.6

Notes:

^*There are great differences between the policies of boards on exemption from levy. In order to give a more direct comparison between boards, the figures of gross income have been increased so as to include income which would have been increased had boards not operated levy exemption arrangements. An equivalent addition has been made to the expenditure figure for each board.

†Gross expenditure includes all staff costs.

‡Salary figures include employers national insurance and pension contribution but exclude all other employment costs (e.g. travel, subsistence, accommodation etc.).

686W

§ Mr. Jim Lester
[pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1980, c 118]: The available information relates to the number of clients leaving the ERCs after a specified period and the number of such clients who leave prematurely. An analysis of ERC terminations in the lastest period for which information is available was given in my reply of 21 May to the hon. Member for Isle of Ely (Mr. Freud).—[Vol. 985, c. 199–200.]

Board			Gross annual income^*	Gross annual expenditure†	Number of full-time staff 1 April 1980	Salary costs as percentage of gross expenditure‡
Air transport and travel	…	…	6,764,278	6,789,175	76	8.9
Carpet	…	…	921,000	879,000	14	10.2
Ceramics, glass and mineral products	…	4,719,000	4,362,000	112	16.0
Chemical and allied products	…	…	15,600,000	15,524,000	158	9.3
Clothing and allied products	…	…	4,438,000	4,369,000	70	9.7
Construction	…	…	34,018,000	34,587,000	812	10.6
Cotton and allied textiles	…	…	4,483,000	4,415,000	76	101
Distributive	…	…	30,665,622	26,214,025	436	9.6
Engineering	…	…	120,181,000	119,366,000	823	3.9
Foundry industry training committee	…	5,945,000	5,912,000	66	8.6
Food, drink and tobacco	…	…	26,007,556	25,679,316	175	4.4
Furniture and timber	…	…	6,361,000	6,727,000	100	11.5
Footwear, leather and furskin	…		3,302,000	3,125,000	45	8.2
Hotel and catering	…	…	9,221,998	8,874,847	25S	17.4
Iron and steel	…	…	11,468,000	11,296,000	55	4.5
Knitting, lace and net	…	…	1.907,000	1,870,000	47	14.6
Man-made fibres producing	…	…	163,000	163,000	5	19.6
Paper and paper products	…	…	4,945,000	4,899,000	75	10.6
Petroleum	…	…	1,800,000	1,695,000	101	40.8
Printing and publishing	…	…	10,046,000	10,718,000	163	12.4
Road transport.	…	…	40,297,000	38,679,000	871	15.4
Rubber and plastics processing	…	9,566,000	8,274,000	96	8.8
Shipbuilding	…	…	6,874,000	6,661,000	87	7.1
Wool, jute and flax	…	…	1,919,000	1,931,000	58	15.6
Notes:
^*There are great differences between the policies of boards on exemption from levy. In order to give a more direct comparison between boards, the figures of gross income have been increased so as to include income which would have been increased had boards not operated levy exemption arrangements. An equivalent addition has been made to the expenditure figure for each board.
†Gross expenditure includes all staff costs.
‡Salary figures include employers national insurance and pension contribution but exclude all other employment costs (e.g. travel, subsistence, accommodation etc.).