§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what alternative training places will be provided in place of the 500 training places now provided in Government reassessment centres.
§ Mr. WhitneyRe-establishment centres were designed to restore work habits and confidence in people whose employability had deteriorated as a result of long term unemployment. In recent years increasing provision has also been made by the Manpower Services Commission to help people who have not worked for a long time and who have fallen out of the routine of work. That greatly increased provision furnishes opportunities suitable for individuals who would previously have attended reestablishment centres. The community programme provides 130,000 places and many projects are sponsored by organisations with a particular concern to help disadvantaged people. The voluntary projects programme currently supports about 300 projects designed to provide unemployed people with constructive activities which will help them to find work or obtain training. Work preparation training, designed to help unemployed people become more employable and trainable, is likely to cater for some 23,000 people in 1984–85 and it is planned that, 337W by 1986–87, 50,000 of those who participate in the community programme should be able to receive work preparation and basic skills training. In addition, long-term unemployed people who are disabled or who have a health problem which limits the type of work they can do can be considered for a course of employment rehabilitation.