§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have applied for job start allowance; how many have had their applications granted and refused; how many are currently receiving the allowance; and of those no longer receiving the allowance how long had they received it on average before termination, for Great Britain, and for each standard region.
§ Mr. LeeIn the period from July 1986 to March 1989, 41,676 people applied for the job start allowance. A total of 31,951 were accepted and 9,725 were rejected because they were not eligible. There are currently 3,989 people receiving the allowance.
The information requested about how long people received the allowance before termination is not readily available. However, it is estimated that in 1988 two thirds of job start participants received the allowance for the full 26 weeks. People may receive the allowance for a shorter period for a number of reasons, including a pay increase beyond the limit allowed.