Job Interview Guarantee Scheme (Hansard, 2 November 1994)

§ Miss Widdecombe

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.

1128W

Letter from M.E.G Fogden to Mr. Peter Hardy, dated 2 November 1994: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the credibility and effectiveness of the Job Interview Guarantee (JIG) Scheme. The Scheme was first piloted in 20 inner city offices from September 1989. The pilots were reviewed during 1990 and found to be effective in helping long term unemployed and other disadvantaged clients into jobs. As a result JIG became a national programme from April 1991. Since the original pilots, a survey was carried out in 1991–1992 by an independent organisation on behalf of the Employment Services (ES) of both JIG participants and employers who had used JIG. The findings showed that 92 per cent. of employers were positive about the service they had received from the jobcentre, 89 per cent. were satisfied with the people they had recruited and that some 40 per cent. had taken on a long term unemployed person for the first time. For clients who had been found a job through the scheme, evidence showed that JIG had considerably increased their chance of being successful at interview and 60 per cent. were still in work. So far this year, 46 per cent. of the people helped through JIG were placed into jobs. A major evaluation of ES programmes and services which lead to jobs, including JIG, is currently in progress. December marks the fifth anniversary of JIG. I am taking the opportunity to remind the people who deliver JIG in my local offices about the key features of what is one of our most effective programmes. The anniversary has been supported by re-designed publicity material and updated guidance for people in Jobcentres to help long term unemployed people and others at a disadvantage in the labour market to get back into work. Copies entitled "Job Interview Guarantee, Extra Help in filling your vacancies" and "Job Interview Guarantee, Extra Help to get you a job", have been placed in the Library. I hope this is helpful.