§ Mr. BlizzardTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has made to extend workskill pilots for the unemployed; and if he will make a statement. [11172]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithRegulations have been approved by Parliament to allow four more workskill pilots to be introduced on 1 September 1997 to run for one year. These pilots will allow people who have been receiving jobseeker's allowance for six months or more to undertake employment-related education and training for up to one year
full-time, in Scotland in the Glasgow and Dumbarton districts and in the north-west region in Lancashire and Cumbria districts; andpart-time, in London and south-east region in south and south-east London districts and in the south-west region in Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset districts.About 12,000 unemployed people will be able to benefit from the flexible arrangements to take up education or training: provision for 8,000 in these new pilots in addition to 4,000 in the pilots introduced in four areas last April.
The extension of workskill pilots supports our plans in the new deal where we are acting urgently to improve the employability and labour market prospects of the unemployed. The workskill pilots will help us to assess whether and how flexible arrangements in jobseeker's allowance help unemployed people to get and retain work, both in the short and long term.
We will further review the jobseeker's allowance rules on education and training in the light of the workskill pilots and early experience in the new deal.