§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many(a) 18 to 25-year-olds and (b) 25 to 60-year-olds long-term unemployed people have participated in the ACE scheme (i) in the current year and (ii) in each of the previous five years; [8709]
(2) how many participants in the ACE scheme are working part-time; and what is the average number of hours per week they work; [8710]
468W(3) how many people are currently participating in (a) jobskills, (b) the ACE training scheme and (c) the community work programme; and how many places are available; [8711]
(4) what was the average wage of an ACE participant (a) in the present year and (b) in each of the previous five years; [8712]
(5) how many (a) people aged 40 years or above, (b) men, (c) women, (d) married men, (e) married women and (f) people aged 18 to 25 years have taken part in the ACE scheme in each of the last five years including the current year; and how many participants there were in total. [8714]
§ Mr. AncramResponsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Ian Walters to Ms Majorie Mowlam, dated 16 December 1996: Parliamentary Questions Nos. 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2032
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency (T&EA), to reply to your questions about the Action for Community Employment (ACE) scheme, Jobskills and the Community Work Programme (CWP).Parliamentary Question 2027 (Ref: 8709)
The ACE scheme is targeted at the long term unemployed in the 18–64 year old age group. I regret that I am unable to provide you with a detailed breakdown of the two age groupings requested. The information is not readily available and could not be provided other than at a wholly disproportionate cost.Parliamentary Question 2028 (Ref: 8710)
469WOn 27 September 1996, the latest date for which comprehensive information is available, there was 2510 part-time participants on the ACE scheme.The information you requested regarding the average number of hours worked by part-time workers is not available. Part-time workers are employed by sponsoring organisations and the T&EA does not collect information on average hours worked from them. However, sponsoring organisations are required to employ part-time workers for a minimum of 16 hours and maximum of 30 hours per week.Parliamentary Question 2079 (Ref: 8711)
The number of participants on the dates indicated is as follows:
- A. Jobskills—at 8 November 1996: Training for 16,881 young people and adults is supported through the Jobskills programme, with a further 2,606 trainees similarly supported in the Agency's own Training Centres. All 16 and 17 year olds are guaranteed a training place but adult training numbers were capped when Jobskills reached full capacity in September 1996.
- B. ACE—at 29 November 1996: 8040 places were available of which 7228 were filled;
- C. CWEP—at 6 December 1996: 1190 places were available of which 1020 were filled.
Parliamentary Question 2030 (Ref: 8713)
The T&EA does not record information on the actual wage rates paid to ACE employees. Sponsoring organisations are paid £93 per week for each ACE worker employed. Of this up to £11 can be used to defray overhead expenses. The balance must be used as a contribution towards paying the local rate for the job being undertaken by the ACE employee. Any shortfall between Agency's funding and the local rate is met by the sponsors pay well in excess of the shortfall.Parliamentary Question 2032 (Ref: 8714)
Much of the information you are seeking is not readily available and could only be provided immediately at a disproportionate cost. The following information is available:
Year Male Female Total 1996 3,700 4,005 7,705 1995 5,117 5,027 10,144 1994 4,894 4,582 9,476 1993 n/a n/a 9,690 Information in respect of 1992 and 1991 is not available.
I am sorry I am unable to be more helpful in reply to some of your questions but I hope you find the information I have supplied useful.