HC Deb 19 June 1995 vol 262 cc53-4W
Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for the Training and Employment Agency for Northern Ireland for the period 1995 to 1998; and if he will make a statement about the agency's future. [29852]

Mr. Ancram

The following targets have been set for the agency:

  1. 1. Within the company development programme to increase the percentage of companies using national vocational qualification based training to raise the competence of their work forces from 35 per cent. at March 1995 to 75 per cent. by March 1998.
  2. 2. To encourage the commitment of Northern Ireland industry and commerce to the Investors in People standard with the aim of increasing the number of recognitions from 20 in March 1995 to 50 in March 1996, 100 in March 1997 and 150 in March 1998. At least 50 per cent. of the companies to be in manufacturing and tradeable services.
  3. 3. To provide a range of relevant. high quality management development programmes and to achieve a customer satisfaction rating of at least 80 per cent. as reviewed at the end of each year, that such provision will increase individual and/or business performance.
  4. 4. To support the IDB's objective of attracting 20 inward investment projects with 4.500 job promotions by 31 March 1996 and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's aim of attracting strategically important investment which strengthens the tourism and hospitality infrastructure.
  5. 5. In the first year of operation, 1995–96, 25 per cent. of mainstream participants in lobskills will achieve NVQ level 2 54 or above, increasing to at least 35 per cent. in 1996–97 and 45 per cent. in 1997–98.
  6. 6. To provide an average of 9,400 temporary employment places with training through the ACE programme with the aim of increasing the number of leavers into jobs, training or further education within three months of leaving from 41 per cent. in 1994–95 to 43 per cent. in 1995–96 to 45 per cent. in 1996–97 to 47 per cent. in 1997–98.
  7. 7. By 1998 to agree and implement at least 40 modern apprenticeships frameworks with the appropriate sectoral representative bodies—20 in 1995–96, 15 in 1996–97 and five in 1997–98.
  8. 8. To carry out a full evaluation of the community work programme pilots by March 1997.
  9. 9. Over the next three years the agency will place a total of 114,000 people into jobs—36,000 in 1995–96, 38,000 in 199697 and 40,000 in 1997–98.
  10. 10. The agency will review its customer service standards, publish a revised customer charter by December 1995, have identified appropriate areas for entry for the nation-wide Chartermark competition for services in the public sector by March 1996 and have reached the standard in these areas by March 1998.
  11. 11. To revise by March 1997 the agency management accounting system to provide full cost management accounts and improve the integration of unit costs with performance measures.
  12. 12. To achieve Investors in People national standard for employers by September 1995.
  13. 13. To achieve annual efficiency savings of at least 4 per cent. over the period 1995 to 1998.
  14. 14. To complete by end 1995 the equality and equity benchmarking of the agency's programmes and services, set targets for action to redress imbalances, and by March 1998 to demonstrate progress by meeting the targets established.
  15. 15. To ensure that the objectives of the targeting social need and policy appraisal and fair treatment initiatives are reflected in all reviews of the agency's programmes and services carried out over the period of this plan.

Copies of the agency's published corporate plan, 1995–98, will be placed in the Library.

In accordance with next steps principles, the agency has been subject to an evaluation review and the case for its continuaton assessed. The evaluation report confirms that, since its inception in 1990, the agency has been a success, both in terms of bringing together a central operational focus for training and employment services and as a next steps agency. It will continue as a next steps agency with the same operational responsibilities. Work is presently in hand to revise its framework document in the light of the findings of the evaluation report and changes in next steps policy and procedures.

A copy of the evaluation report will be placed in the parliamentary Library.