§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she will publish the results of the Government's review of long-term unemployment in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [28624]
§ Mr. WorthingtonResponsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 10 February 1998:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, to reply to your question about the current consultation process on long-term unemployment in Northern Ireland.Work on the review of long-term unemployment was temporarily overtaken during the Autumn by the overriding priority of the New Deal. We have been examining how existing programmes for the long term unemployed could be best aligned with the New Deal while taking account of the outcome of last year's consultation exercise. I expect an announcement will be made shortly on the future shape of existing programmes and services.