§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to encourage the introduction of more job clubs in the Bristol travel-to-work area.
§ Mr. LeeAs announced in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt) on 27 January 1989,Official Report, column 810, the job club network is being streamlined to take account of the present unemployment picture. The employment service is currently assessing the 253W number of job clubs needed in the Bristol travel-to-work area and a decision is expected soon. More effective use of existing facilities, rather than additional job clubs, will be a key feature of the assessment. However, it is planned to substantially increase the number of participants in job clubs in the Avon area from around 1,300 members in 1988–89 to around 2,500 in 1989–90.