§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each year since 1993–94(a) the number of places supported by his Department in the supported placement scheme, (b) the cost per place to the Department, (c) the annual percentage increase in funding to placement sponsors and (d) the annual percentage increase in annual earnings of those supported by the scheme. [55572]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithI have set out the answers to the hon. and learned Member's questions in the table.
1011W
Year (a) Number of SPS places (b) Cost per place (£) (c) Annual % increase in funding 1993–94 7,461 13,480 16.4 24,310 24.1 1994–95 7,748 4,420 127 24.1 1995–96 8,036 4,530 2.5
Year (a) Number of SPS places (b) Cost per place (£) (c) Annual % increase in funding 1996–97 8,191 4,610 1.8 1997–98 8,448 4,680 1.5 1 Local Authorities 2 Voluntary Bodies Information on the annual earnings of supported employees and the annual percentage increase is not collected from supported employment contractors and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost to the Department and to its contractors. However, it is one of the fundamental conditions of the Supported Employment Programme that sponsors will, in placing disabled people with host employers, ensure that disabled people are paid the same wages as non disabled colleagues doing the same work.