§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) for how long, and between what dates, the pilot of a revised travel-to-interview scheme took place in the north-west region in 1995; [21696]
(2) how many unemployed people were assisted by the travel-to-interview scheme in the north-west region during the pilot scheme in 1995, involving the relaxation of the rules; what would have been the figure if the rules that applied to the rest of the United Kingdom had been applied; and how many would have been assisted (a) under the criteria set by the pilot if the qualifying period had changed to 13 weeks of unemployment and (b) if the rules that applied to the rest of the United Kingdom had been applied with the qualifying period changed to 13 weeks of unemployment. [21698]
§ 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 Mike Fogden to Mr. Ian McCartney, dated 20 March 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of people in the North West who would have been assisted by the Travel to Interview Scheme under a variety of conditions.The pilot of a revised Travel to Interview Scheme in the North West Region ran from October 1994 to March 1995. The scheme helped 3,359 people during that six month period.It is not possible at the present time to provide the other information you require. However, it is anticipated that a copy of the report of the evaluation of the pilot will be placed in the House of Commons Library shortly. Some of the figures requested will be available in the forthcoming report but the decision to restrict eligibility to 13 weeks was not part of the piloted changes and the figures you request will therefore not be available.I hope this is helpful.