§ Mr. Alan HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 26 February,Official Report, column 265, what is her estimate of the number of people who would benefit from an extension of the jobmatch scheme to (a) all people unemployed for two years or more and (b) those aged over 50 years unemployed for two years or more. [18980]
§ Mr. ForthIn January 1997, the number of people who had been unemployed for at least two years was just over 390,000, of whom some 90,000 were over the age of 50. Our experience of the jobmatch pilots has suggested that up to 10 per cent. would take advantage of the jobmatch programme. However, that is not necessarily an accurate guide to likely take-up among particular groups, such as people over 50.
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