§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many claimants in 1995–96 were referred to(a) jobplan workshops, (b) restart courses and (c) workwise and worklink; and for each how many attended and what were the outcomes; [35276]
(2) how many claimants had reductions in their income support for non-attendance or failure to complete (a) jobplan workshops, (b) restart courses and (c) workwise and worklink. [35275]
§ Mr. ForthResponsibility for the subject of the questions 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 Robert Horne to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 1 July 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to reply to your questions to her about Jobplan, Workwise and Worklink and Restart Courses.
The attached tables show how equal many claimants were referred to Jobplan, Workwise and Worklink and Restart Courses in 1995–96, how many attended and the outcomes.
The responsibility for adjudication on people who fail to attend or complete these programmes rests with the Benefits Agency (BA). In approximately 90% of cases that are adjudicated upon a reduction
Jobmatch pilot Period London (ES) North West England (ES) North London TEC Lincolnshire TEC Total Weeks 1–12 118.00 82.00 79.00 59.00 338.00 Weeks 13–24 334.00 125.00 131.00 61.00 651.00 Weeks 25–36 782.00 182.00 162.00 69.00 1,195.00 Weeks 37–48 651.00 85.00 110.00 41.00 887.00 Weeks 49–60 571.00 137.00 141.00 53.00 902.00 Total 2,456.00 611.00 623.00 283.00 3,973.00 Information is not yet available on the employment status and experience of participants in the period after the jobmatch allowance ceases. A follow-up survey of participants is being conducted from which results will be available next year.
§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many restart interviews took place in 1995–96; and from these how many claimants(a) were placed in a job, (b) claimed other benefits and (c) entered other programmes and signed off the claiming benefit. [35281]
292Wof either 40% or 20% of personal Income Support is applied. Details of the total number of disallowances by programme are included in the table.
I hope this is helpful.
Table 1 1995–96 Jobplan Restart courses Workwise/link Referrals 339,419 190,866 65,252 Starters 165,012 104,686 27,635 Outcomes Jobs 7,542 4,301 2,971 ES/TEC/LEC programmes 41,811 21,899 7,158 Other 9,022 4,589 1,796 Total outcomes 58,375 30,789 11,925 BA decisions Deductions in personal IS 37,891 24,505 11,231
§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many claimants are currently participating in the voluntary jobsearch element of the project work pilots. [35284]
§ Mr. ForthThe most recent figures available, covering the period from the start of the pilots up to 13 June, show a total of 2,012 people in the Hull and Medway and Maidstone pilot areas have had their initial restart interview, and entered the first 13 weeks of the pilot process.
§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary' of State for Education and Employment how many claimants have participated in each of the four jobmatch pilots in each quarter since inception; and what have been the outcomes of those who completed. [35283]
§ Mr. ForthThe following table gives the number of long-term unemployed people who have participated in each of the four jobmatch pilots. The table shows the number of new participants in each 12 week period since the pilots began on 3 April 1995 and until 24 May 1996.
§ 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 Mike Fogden to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 1 July 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of Restart interviews which took place in 1995/96 and the outcomes from them. This falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Employment Service.
293WI have set out the information you have requested in the table below. It may be helpful if I explain the scope and purpose of the Restart interviews which are offered at regular six monthly intervals as part of an advisory and information service aimed at helping people back into work. These interviews provide clients with the opportunity to discuss with a Client Adviser the steps they are taking to find work, how to access the employment and training opportunities that are available to them, and the course of action which, if followed, will offer the best prospects of returning to work.
1995–96 Total Total Restart Interviews 3,271,561 Job Placings 54,903 Family Credit and Other Benefit Starts 64,124 Programme Starts1 764.886 Sign Offs as a direct result of Advisory action 117,644 1 Jobclub, Business Start-Up, Restart Course, Training for Work, JIG, Work Trials, JSS, Jobplan, Job Review Workshop, Workwise, Community Action. While the primary aim of this service is to help people back into work, advisers also have a duty to make sure those claiming benefit understand and comply wit the conditions under which they are paid. These conditions require people to be available to start work immediately; not to place such restrictions on the work they are willing to do as to leave them with no real prospects of finding a job; and to take those steps, each week, which offer the best prospects of obtaining work.
As part of this process, advisers ensure that people are claiming the most appropriate benefit. If, during an interview, discussions between the client and the adviser identify that an alternative benefit is more appropriate, then the adviser will ensure a smooth transition to the correct benefit.
I should emphasise that the figures shown in the table represent only the immediate result of Restart interviews. Many other people subsequently take up a job or a place on an employment or training programme as a result of the guidance given to them at their interview. Independent researchers who have studied the Restart interview programme have all concluded that this indirect effect is extremely significant.
I hope this in helpful.
§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many claimants were(a) referred to 1–2–1 interviews in 1995–96, (b) attended and completed these interviews and (c) received sanctions for non-attendance or failure to complete their programme. [35280]
§ 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 Mike Fogden to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 1 July 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about how many people were referred to and completed 1–2–1 interviews in 1995–96 and how many received benefit sanctions for non-attendance or failure to attend the interviews. This falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Employment Service.
You will see the information set out in the table. It may also be helpful if I explain that 1–2–1 was piloted in 1994/95 and introduced nationally from April 1995 for 18–24 year olds unemployed a year. It involves placing people on a caseload operated by an ES adviser for up to six interviews. This caseload approach provides an extended period for advisers to support clients' job search and to help them develop realistic plans to return to work. Clients are given information about jobs and other opportunities and extensive job search advice and help, including help with the preparation of CVs, the completion of application forms and interview techniques. The interviews also provide an opportunity to confirm that clients understand and are meeting the conditions under which benefit is 294W paid. In April 1996 the initiative was expanded; to provide 239,000 opportunities from the previous 95,000. The extra places has enabled help to be extended to clients over 25 and people at other unemployment durations.
1995–96 Total 1–2–1 Cases opened 67,557 1–2–1 Cases completed 40,921 Number of Benefit Sanctions applied 5,423 For those 1–2–1 is unable to help, a linked four week course, Workwise, provides further help with job search and confidence building. Workwise is also made available immediately, in preference to 1–2–1, for those clients to whom it is more appropriate.
I hope this is helpful.