HC Deb 23 May 1989 vol 153 c505W
Ms. Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job clubs have been closed since his decision to reduce their number; where they were located; how many had been run by(a) jobcentres and (b) external agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

Between my announcements to the House on 27 January 1989 and 28 April 1989, 131 job clubs had closed. They were located in the following regions:

Number
Northern 1
Yorkshire and Humberside 7
East Midlands and Eastern 20
London and South East 20
South West 21
Wales 5
West Midlands 34
North West 22
Scotland 1

A total of 114 of these job clubs had been run by jobcentres and 17 by external agencies. Around 90 more closures are expected by 30 June 1989 in order to bring the network down to the 1,000 or so needed following the substantial and continuing fall in long-term unemployment.

The number of job club places available in 1989–90 will be some 25 per cent. higher than the number of participants in the programme last year. I hope that long-term unemployed people will take advantage of the opportunities open to them to join this valuable programme which has already helped more than 150,000 back into work.

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