§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment in each year since employment training started, what has been the cost of ET; what contribution has been made by the European social fund; and what would have been the cost of trainees' entitlement to social security benefits.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe table shows the expenditure on ET since it began and estimated expenditure on that part of the trainee allowances equivalent to previous entitlement to social security benefit. The contribution made to employment training by the European social fund in 1989 was £72 million, in 1990 £126 million and in 1991 £157 million. 317W
Employment training £ million Total expenditure Estimated benefit equivalent element of trainee allowances 1988–891 425 117 1989–90 1,107 425 1990–91 1,076 425 1991–922 844 337 1992–933 807 318 1ET began in September 1988. Transitional arrangements applied to participants previously on wages on the community programme. 2Provisional outturn expenditure. 3Planned expenditure.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how European social fund money has been distributed in each year since employment training started to(a) ET, (b) youth training, (c) voluntary organisations, (d) local authorities and (e) other purposes.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythUntil the end of 1989, individual applications for European social fund support were submitted by a range of organisations which included Government, local authorities and voluntary organisations, for approval in Brussels.
Since 1990, when new regulations took effect, applications have been made to the Department of Employment for approval. The money is paid out to applicants in three tranches. Advance payments of 50 per cent. and a further 30 per cent. are normally available during the life of a project and a final claim of up to the last 20 per cent. is payable after accounts have been scrutinised.