§ Mr. SykesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the Employment Service's results against the annual performance agreement set for the 1993–94 year; and when he expects the Employment Service to publish its annual report and accounts.
§ Mr. David HuntI am pleased to announce that the Employment Service has continued to build on the success of recent years and in 1993–94 achieved an excellent level of performance against its annual targets. The following table details the ES's performance results against the 1993–94 annual performance agreement. Overall, die ES placed 1.64 million unemployed people into jobs, of whom 462,200-28.2 per cent.—had been out of work for six months or more and 53,300-3.25 per cent.—were people with a disability; performance in each case exceeded target. In addition, the ES met or exceeded its targets for promptness of benefit payment, delivering advisory interviews and for claims withdrawn following fraud investigation, and ended a mere fraction—0.1 per cent.—short of its target for benefit accuracy.
I am also pleased to announce that for the 1993–94 year and beyond the ES will be publishing fully audited 538W commercial style accounts in its annual report. The ES's annual report and accounts for 1993–94 will be laid before Parliament, as an Act Paper, after the summer recess. In previous years, the ES's annual report and accounts has not been formally laid, and has included only an unaudited cash based financial statement. I am confident that the fuller, commercial-style accounts will serve to emphasise the extent to which the ES delivers value for taxpayers' money.
Target Performance (per cent.) 1.47 million unemployed people to be placed into work 1.64 million Of whom: 27 per cent. to be long-term claimants 462,200 (28.2) 3 per cent. to be people with disabilities 53,300 (3.25) 35 per cent. to be people in inner cities 580,600 (35.4) 65 per cent. of starters on Training for Work to be from Employment Service referrals 74.0 87 per cent. of clients due an advisory interview to receive one 92.0 30 per cent. of unemployed people due a 12 month advisory interview to start on a Jobplan Workshop 45.0 87 per cent. of first benefit payments to be despatched on the day that entitlement is established 89.4 96.5 per cent. by value, of Unemployment benefit payments to be paid correctly 96.4 9 per cent. of initial claims enquiries not to be pursued as new claims 8.9 63,000 claims to be withdrawn following investigation by Employment Service inspectors 67,400