§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Paymaster General (1) how much the agencies which have been selected as Dundee management agents for the new Manpower Services 58W Commission's job training schemes for the long-term unemployed will be paid by the Manpower Services Commission once the trainee has been placed with a company;
(2) which agencies in Dundee have been selected to manage the new Manpower Services Commission's job training schemes for long-term unemployed; and on what criteria the selection was made;
(3) how much the agencies who have been selected as Dundee management agents for the new Manpower Services Commission job training scheme for the long-term unemployed will be paid per person each week for administrative costs, from the Manpower Services Commission;
(4) if the companies who accept trainees from the new Manpower Services Commission's job training scheme for the long-term unemployed are obliged to pay a fee for the trainee.
§ Mr. Trippier[pursuant to his reply, 20 November 1986, c. 276]: Dundee training for employment and enterprise project is the managing agent for the pilot area's job training scheme. The criterion for selection is that potential managing agents should be able to organise schemes which can assess the needs of individuals for training, offer a sufficiently wide range of different types of training and linked practical experience to meet their needs (including training in new technology and self-employment), and provide training in job-interview and other related skills needed to help gain employment.
Managing agents will be paid an administration fee of £35 for each person joining the scheme and £58 for each month of training and linked practical experience delivered. Managing agents will expect providers of practical experience to pay a fee for trainees, but there is no set rate. The money will be used by managing agents to help meet the costs of the training that they provide.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Paymaster General (1) if those 20 long-term unemployed claimants who were invited to participate in the new Manpower Services Commission's funded job training programmes during interviews held in Dundee will be credited with national insurance contributions while on the scheme;
(2) if those 20 long-term unemployed claimants who were invited to participate in the new Manpower Services Commission's funded job training programme during interviews held in Dundee will be regarded as new claimants if they sign on when the scheme finishes;
(3) if those 20 long-term unemployed claimants who were invited to participate in the new Manpower Services Commission's funded job training programmes during interviews held in Dundee, will have their unemployment benefit withdrawn if they refuse to participate in the scheme;
(4) if those 20 long-term unemployed claimants who were invited to participate in the new Manpower Services Commission's funded job training programme during interviews held in Dundee will still be registered as unemployed if they accept this job training scheme.
§ Mr. Trippier[pursuant to his reply, 24 November 1986, c. 276]: The aim of the job training scheme pilots is to assist the long term unemployed to acquire skills which will help them find employment. Trainees will be volunteers and benefit sanctions will not be applied to anyone who does not wish to take up an offer of training in a pilot scheme.
59WParticipants are not unemployed whilst on the training scheme. If they subsequently become unemployed, they will need to renew their claim for benefit. National insurance contributions are credited for each week or part week of the course.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Paymaster General why his officers were unable to provide information to those twenty long-term unemployed claimants invited to participate in the new Manpower Services Commission's funded job training programme in Dundee as to the implications for their entitlement to benefits of accepting a place on the scheme.
§ Mr. Trippier[pursuant to his reply, 20 November 1986, c. 276]: People on the job training scheme pilots will be paid a training allowance which will be no less than their previous rate of unemployment benefit or supplementary allowance. This is explained at the restart interview. In addition, people expressing an interest in joining the scheme receive individual counselling by the unemployment benefit service staff on transfer from one type of payment to another and are given a written statement about the amount of training allowance that they will receive and the availability of other benefits. I understood that these procedures were followed in Dundee.