HC Deb 14 April 1986 vol 95 cc256-7W
Mr. Clay

asked the Paymaster General (1) what is the cost of the current Manpower Services Commission advertising campaign to promote the community programme;

(2) what outside agencies have been engaged in connection with the Manpower Services Commission advertising campaign to promote the community programme;

(3) what sums have been paid to any outside agencies engaged by the Manpower Services Commission in connection with its advertising campaign to promote the community programme;

(4) on what evidence the Manpower Services Commission based the statement, included in advertising on behalf of the commission, that there is no shortage of work in Sunderland; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget speech the expansion of the community programme from its present level of 200,000 filled places to 255,000 places by the end of October. The allocation of places to the northern region is likely to increase to 29,600. The allocation to the south Tyne area, which includes Sunderland, is not yet settled, but is likely to be a considerable increase over the 5,658 filled community programme places in the south Tyne area at the end of March. There will therefore be a substantial number of community programme jobs which will need to be filled to meet the target for the area community programme sponsors.

Community programme sponsors provide jobs by undertaking work which would not otherwise be done. Experience indicates that there is, as the advertisement states, no shortage of such work in Sunderland or elsewhere.

A press and radio campaign was run in March in three areas: the north-east, south Wales and London. Its purpose was to encourage long-term unemployed people to apply for community programme jobs and to test the effectiveness of different forms of publicity. Advertisements were designed to attract attention, and in the north-east 1,350 responses have already been received.

The advertising material was designed by Saatchi and Saatchi Compton Ltd. It distributed material to the local media, and received a 15 per cent. commission, which is the customary figure. The cost of the whole campaign, including commission, was £167,000 of which £27,000 was in the north-east.

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