Long-term Unemployment

HC Deb 29 January 1997 vol 289 cc260-2W

35. Mr. Ernie Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps she is taking to reduce long-term unemployment. [11763]

Mr. Forth

The success of our economic and labour market policies has helped long-term unemployment to fall by 340,000 since January 1994. The United Kingdom has more people in jobs and fewer out of work than any other major European country, and in the last four years has created more jobs than the other major countries of Europe combined. In his November Budget statement, my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a further package of measures-including an expansion of project work to every region-to help people who have been unemployed for two years or more to compete effectively for the jobs becoming available.