§ 115. Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to review the policies of Her Majesty's Government to reduce the level of unemployment in the inner cities; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CopeThe Government's Action for Cities programme aims to develop a climate in which businesses can flourish and new jobs can be created. It includes a wide range of employment, training and enterprise measures provided by this Department. The new employment training programme helps unemployed people obtain the skills they need to get jobs; the employment service, through its network of over 500 inner city offices and nearly 500 inner city jobclubs, helps unemployed people find jobs; the enterprise allowance scheme, helps unemployed people start a business. The small firms service is opening new offices and engaging new counsellors to serve the inner cities. The measures we are taking to achieve these aims are constantly under review to ensure that they bring maximum benefit to inner city residents.