§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress the Employment Service has made in the latest quarter in meeting targets outlined in the 1992–93 agency agreement; and if she will show for the latest possible date(a) the total unemployed job placings against profiled target, (b) the long-term unemployed job placings, (c) people with disabilities job placings, (d) inner-city job placings, (e) the employment training referral to the start ratio, (f) the number of new claims not pursued following initial contact and (g) the number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators.
§ Mr. McLoughlinI am informed by the chief executive of the Employment Service that in the period April to September 1992, the Employment Service placed a total of 729,000 unemployed people into jobs, against an annual target of 1.425 million. 24.3 per cent. of these placings were long-term claimants, 2.8 per cent. were people with disabilities and 34 per cent. were unemployed people in inner cities against annual targets of 19 per cent., 2.5 per cent. and 36 per cent. respectively. Over the same period the employment training/employment action referral to start ratio was 2.8:1 against an annual target of 2.5:1. New claims not pursued following initial contact were at the annual target level of 10 per cent. The number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators was 35,000 against an annual target of 58,000.