§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures showing the number of unemployed people who have been issued with invitations to attend restart interviews since the beginning of the scheme, the total number of interviews conducted during the same period and a breakdown of the difference between these two totals, estimating(a) those who ceased to be unemployed prior to receiving the invitation, (b) those who left the register between the receipt of the invitation and the interview date and (c) 231W other reasons for non-attendance; and if he will also provide an estimate of how many of these people would be likely to leave the register if the normal outflow from the unemployment register continued at pre-restart levels.
§ Mr. Lee[holding answer 7 December 1987]: Since the start of the restart programme, 3,286,000 people have been invited and 2,558,000 have attended an interview. It is not possible to break down the difference between these two totals in the manner requested. However, among those people invited for interview who do not in the event attend for interview are:
- (a) people who cease to be unemployed shortly before or after receiving their invitation;
- (b) people who are about to start work;
- (c) people who cease claiming unemployment benefits for other reasons.
We do not know how many people ultimately find work or other opportunities as a result of a restart interview.
§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures showing(a) the average duration of unemployment of those who have attended restart interviews and (b) the proportion of restart interviewees who remain on the unemployment register (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) three months and (iv) six months after a restart interview.
1 June 1986 to 9 October 1986 10 October 1986 to 8 January 1987 9 January 1987 to 9 April 1987 10 April 1987 to 26 June 1987 29 June 1987 to 25 September 1987 People counselled under restart 366,451 412,600 506,046 409,436 612,264 Referals Job 37,930 34,906 38,669 38,128 52,181 Community Programme 56,883 48,195 43,247 30,102 45,040 Jobclubs 17,278 23,358 36,054 39,520 59,057 Enterprise Allowance Scheme 16,800 17,493 20,087 16,047 22,732 Restart Courses 63,149 68,095 57,801 19,655 25,316 Training 45,327 51,349 59,267 74,305 101,022 Voluntary Projects Programme 9,628 11,357 14,786 7,149 11,198 Voluntary Work Employment rehabilitation Centres 2,883 132 1,726 934 1,229