HC Deb 06 February 1996 vol 271 cc160-1W
Mr. Dowd

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which bodies(a) have received and (b) will receive funding from the action for community employment programme in the financial years (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96 and (iii) 1996–97; and if he will list (1) the numbers employed by each body and (2) the amount each body received in (i) to (iii); and in which parliamentary constituency each body is located. [12694]

Mr. Ancram

Responsibility 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 Mr. Jim Dowd, dated 30 January 1996:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your questions about the Action for Community Employment programme (ACE).

Across Northern Ireland there are currently 237 organisations running ACE schemes. The detailed information you seek is not immediately available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, on the assumption that you might find it helpful I have appended a list of ACE schemes operating during 1995/96.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.

Rev. William McCrea

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the funding of ACE schemes in the Province. [12558]

Mr. Ancram

Responsibility 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 Rev. William McCrea, dated 30 January 1996:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your request for a statement about the funding of the Action for Community Employment (ACE) programme.

As you know, on Monday 11 December 1995 the Secretary of State announced details of the Public Expenditure Plans for Northern Ireland for 1996/7 and the following two years. The announcement referred to the very encouraging performance of the Northern Ireland economy wish unemployment at its lowest for 14 years and employment at record levels. He mentioned also the promise of substantial jobs from recently announced investments by major companies.

Against this background the reduction of £12.5 million in funding for the ACE programme in 1996/7 will help to meet pressures in top priority programmes aimed at promoting self-sustaining economic growth. The targeting of available resources in this way will best meet the needs of the unemployed in the longer term.

I can assure you that the Training and Employment Agency is sensitive to the concerns of the voluntary/community sector and is aware of the possible implications for local communities arising from the reduction in ACE workers.

The Agency has recently written to the Chairpersons of ACE schemes to indicate the level of reduction required in each scheme in order that the programme can live within the resources available to it in 1996/7. Following consultations with a variety of sponsors and others with an interest in ACE, the Agency is happy to allow sponsors to determine how best they might achieve the reduction either individually or collectively. The aim is to keep the consequences of the reductions to a minimum.

I hope that you find this reply useful. I will of course be pleased to provide further information if you would find it helpful.