§ Mr. Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment how long applicants for the enterprise allowance scheme in (a) the Huddersfield area, (b) the Kirklees area, (c) West Yorkshire and (d) the Yorkshire and Humberside region currently have to wait on average before being granted an appointment at the initial information seminar; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe frequency of information seminars is determined by the level of demand, and in Huddersfield and Kirklees, West Yorkshire and the Yorkshire and Humberside region potential applicants for the enterprise allowance scheme have on average to wait no more than one week to attend a seminar.
I am pleased that as a result of the increase in the rate of take-on from 1 May 1984 we have been able to eliminate the delays that were facing potential applicants earlier in the year. This successful and worthwhile scheme will be further extended on 1 April 1985 to assist up to another 62,500 unemployed people in 1985–86 to create their own jobs and start up in business.
§ Mr. Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in (a) the Yorkshire and Humberside region, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) the employment division area covering Huddersfield are currently in receipt of the enterprise allowance; and how many people in each area have now completed one year on the scheme.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 22 January 1985 the number of people in receipt of the enterprise allowance in Yorkshire and Humberside and West Yorkshire was as follows:
Number Yorkshire and Humberside 3,662 West Yorkshire 1,920 No separate figures are available for the Huddersfield area, but these are included in the Manpower Services Commission's employment division area centred on Dewsbury which covers Bradford, Halifax, Dewsbury and Huddersfield. The number of people currently receiving the enterprise allowance in that areas is 877.
On the same date the number of people who had completed 12 months on the scheme in these areas was as follows: 184W
Number Yorkshire and Humberside 1,825 West Yorkshire 976 Dewsbury 460
§ Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Employment how long applicants for the enterprise allowance scheme in (a) Burnley, (b) Lancashire and (c) England as a whole have to wait on an average before being given an interview at the initial information seminar.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkPotential applicants for the enterprise allowance scheme in Burnley, Lancashire and England as a whole have to wait on average no more than one week to attend an information seminar.