§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to ensure that adequate numbers of operatives and trainees are available to undertake community energy action work in draughtproofing and loft insulation in Wales.
§ Mr. Grist[holding answer 15 May 1989]: A package of measures was announced on 10 February by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment to help community insulation projects under employment training. Projects which are not suitable for ET might be suitable for providing voluntary work for people who have finished employment training as a means of practising their skills until they find work.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the contribution made to the well-being of elderly people and other vulnerable people in Wales by programmes of community energy action work including draughtproofing and loft insulation in each of the last 10 years; and what targets he intends to set for each of the next five years.
§ Mr. Grist[holding answer 15 May 1989]: It is essentially a matter for the placement providers to consider the contribution their projects will make to the well-being of the elderly and other vulnerable people in their areas. The elderly will benefit from recent changes to the homes insulation scheme to improve loft insulation and the installation of thermal insulation under the new home improvement grant arrangements.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the number of trainees undertaking community energy action work in draughtproofing and loft insulation to equal the number so engaged under the community programme in April 1988.
§ Mr. Grist[holding answer 15 May 1989]: It is not possible to compare the numbers on community programme with employment training. Their aims are fundamentally different. Whilst CP provided the long-term unemployed with work experience on projects that benefited the community, ET aims to provide individuals with the skills to meet their own training needs and the needs of the local labour market.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many trainees were employed on community energy action work such as draughtproofing and loft insulation in each district council area in Wales in April 1988 under the community programme; and how many were employed under employment training in April 1989.
§ Mr. Grist[holding answer 15 May 1989]: Figures for district council areas are not available. The following refer to Training Agency area office regions:
455W
Community Programme Nos. of participants April 1988 Employment Training Nos. of trainees April 1989 Wrexham AO(Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys) 173 130 Cardiff AO (Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan) 346 102 Swansea AO (West Glamorgan and Dyfed) 149 62 Newport AO(Gwent) 143 47