§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Employment what research has been done on persons who have completed eight-week courses in employment rehabilitation centres; what percentage have remained in their new jobs for over two years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that employment rehabilitation centre (ERC) courses do not have a pre-determined length; they generally last for between six and eight weeks. Separate statistics of resettlement by course length are not prepared, but the commission's regular statistics show that about 52 per cent. of those who completed ERC courses in the six months ending March 1979 were in employment or in training six months after completion. A further 10 per cent. had had some employment since completing their course.
No study has been undertaken of subsequent job retention, but research is being done on the experience of a representative sample of ERC clients both during rehabilitation and for a period of 7W 12 months after it. It is hoped to publish some of the results from this research towards the end of 1980.