§ Sir Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will provide an age breakdown of the long-term unemployed people who have benefited from the project work pilot programme. [7226]
§ Mr. ForthOf the 5,634 people who had entered the project work pilot by mid-November, 16 per cent. were between 18 and 24 years old, 40 per cent. were between 25 and 34 years old, 43 per cent. were between 35 and 49 years old, and 0.5 per cent. were 50 years old on the day they entered the pilot.
§ Sir Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will assess the advantages of extending the project work programme to those aged over 50 years. [7227]
§ Mr. ForthWe are carrying out a full evaluation of the project work pilots in Hull and Medway and Maidstone. The announced extension of the approach to 28 new areas from February 1997 will enable us to examine its effects and implications in greater detail. If these further examinations confirm the initial indications that the approach is beneficial and cost-effective, we will then consider extending it to groups other than those covered by the current pilots.