§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the number of persons benefiting from job finder's grant; what the scheme cost; and what the planned expenditure was for each year since 1994. [1762]
§ Mr. ForthResponsibility 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. David Blunkett, dated 24 November 1995.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the Jobfinder's Grant.
I attach a table showing how many people have been awarded Jobfinder's Grants nationally and by Employment Service region.
The figures shown cover the period 7 February 1994 to 31 December 1994 when the scheme was being piloted in the Midlands and from 18 April 1995 when the programme was introduced nationally (22 May in Yorkshire and Humberside region, where a more flexible variant to the programme is being piloted) up to 3 November, the latest date for which figures are available.
Last year's pilot cost £800,000. Planned expenditure in 1995/96 is £5 million.
I hope this is helpful.
Jobfinder's grant Grants awarded (7 February 1994 to 31 December 1994) Grants awarded (18 April 1995 to 3 November 1995) London and South East — 952 South-west — 536 Wales — 442 West Midlands 1,417 1,023 North-west — 1,015 Scotland — 467 Northern — 563 Yorkshire and Humberside — 701 East Midlands and Eastern 3,291 1,149 National total 4,708 6,848