HC Deb 01 March 1988 vol 128 cc529-30W
21. Mr. Bernie Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what his Department is doing to obtain permanent jobs in the private sector for inner city unemployed persons, particularly the long-term unemployed.

Mr. Cope

The Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission provide a wide range of national programmes which aim to equip individuals with the skills and motivation to compete for available jobs. The new training programme for unemployed adults which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 16 February is designed to help long-term unemployed people gain the skills they need to enter the labour market. This will be of particular help to unemployed inner city residents and is being established with inner city needs in mind.