Restart Courses (Hansard, 1 December 1993)

§ Ms Short
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people have been referred to restart courses by employment service counsellors since April for each region and for Great
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number of claimants moved from unemployment benefit to another benefit and variance from target and (g) number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators and variance from target.

§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
The Employment Service is making progress against its targets for 1993–94, meeting or exceeding almost all at the mid-year stage. It placed 859,000 eople in the first two quarters, against an annual target of 1.470 million. This represents 130,000 more placings than at the same stage last year. The Employment Service does not have a target for the number of claimants moved from unemployment benefit to another benefit. The performance is shown in the table.
Britain as a whole; how many of them were unemployed for over two years; how many attended and completed the course; what were the outcomes of the participants; how many had benefit penalties imposed for not attending or failing to complete their attendance at the restart course; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. M. Fogden to Ms Clare Short, dated 1 December 1993: As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about Restart Courses. These are matters which fall within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. As you will know from our previous correspondence, Restart Courses are short courses aimed at helping people who are having the most difficulty returning to work. They are not an alternative

Restart Course Attenders unemployed for 2 years or more April 1993-September 1993

Northern Yorkshire and Humberside East Midlands and Eastern London and South East South West Wales West Midlands North West Scotland Total

1. Referrals to Restart Courses¹ 6,305 11,558 10,367 32,604 9,104 5,892 10,779 19,274 10,503 116,386

2. Starters 3,755 6,559 5,589 16,877 5,152 3,034 6,486 10,048 5,024 62,524

3. Total completers 3,451 5,877 5,103 15,594 4,614 2,750 5,737 9,286 4,499 56,911

Completers who had agreed to follow up:

Jobs 788 1,776 1,753 3,173 1,084 719 1,641 2,718 2,618 16,270

Training For Work 443 836 870 2,552 831 425 1,523 1,675 643 9,798

Jobclub 323 441 634 2,032 542 394 479 795 336 5,976

Other employment, training and related opportunities 2,456 3,970, 3,761 10,533 3,215 1,846 2,323 5,564 2,696 36,364

4.Total number of people with an outcome to follow up² 2,979 5,204 4,685 14,029 4,179 2,495 5,184 8,500 4,107 51,362

5.Number of decisions received from the Benefits Agency³ 328 582 387 703 276 203 202 1,361 1,094 5,136

¹This figure includes people who fail to attend the course they are booked for who are rebooked for another event.

²Some people will be referred to more than one option at the end of the course.

³Since April 1993, the Benefits Agency has combined the number of reductions for non attendance/non completion of Restart Courses with the number of reductions for non attendance/non completion of Jobplan Workshops. Therefore we can only supply the number of decisions that have been made. This figure includes cases where no reduction is made. About 87 per cent. of all decisions lead to a reduction of up to 40 per cent. of personal Income Support.

All Restart Course Attenders April 1993-September 1993

Northern Yorkshire and Humberside East Midlands and Eastern London and South East South West Wales West Midlands North West Scotland Total

1. Referrals to Restart Courses¹ 6,678 12,707 11,521 37,201 10,890 6,787 12,644 20,929 11,333 130,690

2. Starters 4,012 7,291 6,312 19,382 6,135 3,491 7,583 10,917 5,484 70,607

3. Total completers 3,691 6,618 5,779 17,633 5,474 3,151 6,693 10,045 4,891 63,975

Completers who had agreed to follow up:

Jobs 864 1,989 1,985 3,705 1,310 851 1,973 2,984 2,829 18,490

Training For Work 469 914 974 2,964 972 500 1,810 1,829 693 11,125

Jobclub 343 490 730 2,184 696 474 603 849 382 6,751

Other employment, training and related opportunities 2,601 4,371 4,328 12,271 3,786 2,184 2,825 6,118 2,999 41,483

4.Total number of people with an outcome to follow up² 3,193 5,784 5,291 16,170 4,976 2,866 6,106 9,196 4,464 58,046

¹This figure includes people who fail to attend the course they are booked for who are rebooked for another event.

² Some people will be referred to more than one option at the end of the course.

Restart Course Attenders unemployed for 2 years or more April 1993-September 1993
	Northern	Yorkshire and Humberside	East Midlands and Eastern	London and South East	South West	Wales	West Midlands	North West	Scotland	Total
1. Referrals to Restart Courses¹	6,305	11,558	10,367	32,604	9,104	5,892	10,779	19,274	10,503	116,386
2. Starters	3,755	6,559	5,589	16,877	5,152	3,034	6,486	10,048	5,024	62,524
3. Total completers	3,451	5,877	5,103	15,594	4,614	2,750	5,737	9,286	4,499	56,911
Completers who had agreed to follow up:
Jobs	788	1,776	1,753	3,173	1,084	719	1,641	2,718	2,618	16,270
Training For Work	443	836	870	2,552	831	425	1,523	1,675	643	9,798
Jobclub	323	441	634	2,032	542	394	479	795	336	5,976
Other employment, training and related opportunities	2,456	3,970,	3,761	10,533	3,215	1,846	2,323	5,564	2,696	36,364
4.Total number of people with an outcome to follow up²	2,979	5,204	4,685	14,029	4,179	2,495	5,184	8,500	4,107	51,362
5.Number of decisions received from the Benefits Agency³	328	582	387	703	276	203	202	1,361	1,094	5,136
¹This figure includes people who fail to attend the course they are booked for who are rebooked for another event.
²Some people will be referred to more than one option at the end of the course.
³Since April 1993, the Benefits Agency has combined the number of reductions for non attendance/non completion of Restart Courses with the number of reductions for non attendance/non completion of Jobplan Workshops. Therefore we can only supply the number of decisions that have been made. This figure includes cases where no reduction is made. About 87 per cent. of all decisions lead to a reduction of up to 40 per cent. of personal Income Support.

All Restart Course Attenders April 1993-September 1993
	Northern	Yorkshire and Humberside	East Midlands and Eastern	London and South East	South West	Wales	West Midlands	North West	Scotland	Total
1. Referrals to Restart Courses¹	6,678	12,707	11,521	37,201	10,890	6,787	12,644	20,929	11,333	130,690
2. Starters	4,012	7,291	6,312	19,382	6,135	3,491	7,583	10,917	5,484	70,607
3. Total completers	3,691	6,618	5,779	17,633	5,474	3,151	6,693	10,045	4,891	63,975
Completers who had agreed to follow up:
Jobs	864	1,989	1,985	3,705	1,310	851	1,973	2,984	2,829	18,490
Training For Work	469	914	974	2,964	972	500	1,810	1,829	693	11,125
Jobclub	343	490	730	2,184	696	474	603	849	382	6,751
Other employment, training and related opportunities	2,601	4,371	4,328	12,271	3,786	2,184	2,825	6,118	2,999	41,483
4.Total number of people with an outcome to follow up²	3,193	5,784	5,291	16,170	4,976	2,866	6,106	9,196	4,464	58,046
¹This figure includes people who fail to attend the course they are booked for who are rebooked for another event.
² Some people will be referred to more than one option at the end of the course.