§ Mr. Fosterasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list since 1977 (a) the number of unemployed participating in special employment programmes, (b) (a) expressed as a percentage of the registered unemployed, (c) (a) categorised by age group, (d) the average length of stay on each programme for each year and (e) the average cost per annum for each special programme and module thereof, for each year.
§ Mr. AlisonIt is not possible to provide information on the number of people participating in special programmes in each financial year, or the average length26W of stay. Comprehensive records on the age of participants are not kept. The following table gives the number participating in the special measures at the mid point of each financial year (October). Those participating are not unemployed while on the measures. The table also gives the number participating as a percentage of the registered unemployed at the same time.
However, since the relationship between the numbers participating and the effect on the register varies between different measures and hence different years, the figures in col. 2 should not be assumed to represent a comparison of the impact of the measures on the register in different years.
Column 1 Column 2 Financial years Numbers supported at mid-year point ie October Column 1 expressed as percentage of registered unemployed 1977–78 315,000 23.09 1978–79 260,000 20.18 1979–80 367,000 29.63 1980–81 668,000 36.39 1981–82 719,000 26.91