§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress the Employment Service has made towards meeting the targets set out in its annual performance agreement for 1991–92.
Mr. JacksonWe were informed by the chief executive of the Employment Service that in the period April to September 1991, the Employment Service placed a total of 710,000 unemployed people into jobs. Some 16.8 per cent. of these placings were long-term unemployed people, 2.4 per cent. were disabled and 34 per cent. were unemployed people in inner cities, against annual targets of 16, 2.4 and 34 per cent. respectively. To take account of the extra resources we have allocated to the Employment Service to help unemployed people, which my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State announced in June, we have decided to increase the ES target for 1991–92 for placing unemployed people from 1.3 million to 1.335 million.
Over the same period, details of new claims were input into the computer within six days of claim being made in 89.3 per cent. of cases, and the total value of correct payments of unemployment benefit was 96.4 per cent. of the total value of payments, against annual targets of 91 and 95.5 per cent. respectively. In addition, the number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with ES fraud inspectors was 24,450. In the light of my right hon. and learned Friend's announcement in August to allocate additional resources to this area of work, we have decided to increase the ES annual target of claims withdrawn following fraud investigation from 45,000 to 49,000.