HC Deb 02 February 1988 vol 126 cc542-3W
15. Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the success rate of the restart programme is measured.

Mr. Lee

The main aim of the restart programme is to contact all long-term unemployed people and to offer them positive help back to work. The success of the programme is measured principally by reference to the number of long-term unemployed people contacted, the number interviewed, and the percentage of those interviewed who are offered positive help.

So far in 1987–88 up to the end of November, some 1.8 million people have been contacted. About 1.5 million have been interviewed and 88 per cent. of those were offered positive help.