HC Deb 22 July 1987 vol 120 cc212-3W
Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many bridge programmes for unemployed managers and professionals have been set up since the scheme was first launched; and at what estimated annual cost;

(2) how many unemployed managers and professionals have been accepted into bridge programmes since the scheme was launched: and how many are estimated to have found permanent employment as a result.

Mr. Cope

In 1986–87, courses under the bridge programme were mounted by 43 training providers through 55 centres at a cost of £2.4 million. The cost of similar provision in earlier years cannot be separately identified, but available information on numbers helped is as follows:

Financial year Number of trainee starts
1983–84 3,735
1984–85 5,648
1985–86 6,795
1986–87 6,722
Total 22,900

The most recent follow-up survey of former bridge trainees, held in September 1986, indicated that some 59 per cent. had obtained employment or self-employment within three months of leaving the scheme.

Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the decision to end the bridge programme for unemployed managers and professionals; and what response he has offered.

Mr. Cope

Hon. Members, training providers and trainees have written about the need to continue provision for unemployed executives and managers seeking training in job-searching and interviewing skills. We have explained that the decision to withdraw funding from separate bridge courses was taken as part of a wider redeployment of resources to increase help for long-term unemployed people. Similar training assistance is available through the new job training scheme and jobclubs for those who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks, and some opportunities will continue to be available for executives and managers with shorter periods of unemployment through the wider opportunities training programme.

Distribution of weekly household disposable income
Lowest decile £ Lowerquartile £ Median £ Upper quartile £ Highest decile £
All United Kingdom households
1983 46.03 75.96 133.25 198.32 271.94
1985 48.44 83.45 152.73 232.74 322.59
Greater London households
1983 47.94 75.84 142.61 231.57 324.46
1985 46.60 89.50 167.50 261.50 367.82
Data in this table are subject to sampling variation.

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