§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people have taken part in the Restart scheme in the Durham city area; and how many went on to full-time employment.
§ Mr. McLoughlinResponsibility 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 M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 26 February 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 about Restart. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.It may help if I explain the scope and purpose of the Restart programme which was launched nationally in 1986. All people who have been unemployed for six months or more are asked to attend regular, six monthly, interviews with one of my Client Advisers. The aim of the programme is to ensure that all long-term unemployed people know about and get access to the employment and training opportunities available locally to them.At each Restart interview the client will discuss with the adviser their individual situation and circumstances with the aim of reaching an agreement on the best way to return to work. This could be directly by submission to a job vacancy or else through a course of action which will improve their chances of finding work. For example training, a place in a Jobclub, the opportunity of self employment or a place on a Restart course which they can attend at any time. If people 721W remain unemployed for two years or more and decline or fail to take up an offer of help at a Restart interview they are then required to attend a Restart Course.We collect statistics on the number of Restart interviews and the outcomes of those interviews through our Area Offices. It is not, therefore possible to provide the figures you have requested for Durham City. However, for the period between April 1992 to January 1993 we conducted 28,525 Restart interviews in the County Durham Area and as a result 1,391 people subsequently started on a Restart Course.Restart Courses arc not simply about applying for jobs. Research has shown that many people suffer a loss of confidence and motivation after a long spell of unemployment. The Restart Course, which normally lasts one week, aims to help such people set new and realistic goals for themselves, to feel confident about achieving them and to develop an action plan. This will help them apply for jobs or other employment or training opportunities to help them back into work. A Restart Course should be seen as a stepping stone often a very necesary one towards more help.Restart Courses have a proven track record of helping people. During the year April 1992 to December 1992, some 78,000 people nationally completed a Restart Course and of these 70,000, 90 per cent. went on to apply for a job or were referred to another opportunity. The figures for people who attended courses in Durham City are not available. However, in the County Durham Area for the period April 1992 to January 1993 1,289 people completed a Restart Course and of these 1,211,94 per cent. applied for a job or were referred to another opportunity.We do not collect regular information on the numbers of people who subsequently start jobs. However, a recent national survey showed that 9.4 per cent. of the respondents were either in a job or waiting to start one. Many more had, of course, gone on to join another programme such as Jobclub or training.I hope this is helpful.As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this reply in the Library of the House.
1987–88 £ 1988–89 £ 1989–90 £ 1990–91 £ 1991–92 £ England and Wales 236 269 299 342 377 Scotland 234 210 237 253 268 Northern Ireland 181 185 178 223 246 Separate figures for England and for Wales are not available.
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many
1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 Civil legal aid certificates England and Wales 67.1 63.8 61.7 69.2 75.2 Scotland 57.2 69.1 69.3 76.3 69.4 Northern Ireland 74.0 77.0 78.0 76.0 85.0 Criminal legal aid orders England and Wales 91.6 92.3 92.7 93.1 92.8 Scotland (summary proceedings only) 86.7 92.6 88.7 92.5 91.2 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 Northern Ireland (grants by magistrates' courts only) 96.7 96.8 97.0 97.6 98.1 Separate figures for England and for Wales are not available. Criminal legal aid in Scotland is granted in the first instance by the courts and in appeal cases by the Scottish Legal Aid Board. In Northern Ireland all criminal