§ 32. Angela SmithTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect his Department's policies have had on levels of employment in the eastern region since May 1997. [130160]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonIn the east, as in the rest of the UK, we have created a sound and credible platform of economic stability that will help us attain our objective of high and stable levels of growth and employment. Since the election, employment in the east has risen by 134,000 and unemployment has fallen by 59,000.
§ 33. Ms Bridget PrenticeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the policies announced in the Budget to increase employment. [130161]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Chancellor announced a range of measures in Budget 2000 which build on existing employment programmes. These policies are all set out in Chapter 4 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, which outlines progress made towards the Government's aim of providing employment opportunity for all—the modern definition of full employment.
Macroeconomic stability is a prerequisite for achieving this aim, and the microeconomic policies announced, reinforced by reforms in the tax and benefits systems, are designed to help people move from welfare into work, and to ensure that employment is rewarding, that there is 311W a secure transition into work, and that there is the chance to gain skills which will help progression up the earnings ladder.
One of the new measures in the Budget was the introduction of Action Teams. These will work to match long term unemployed people in areas with high unemployment to nearby vacancies. As revealed last week, Lewisham is to be an Action Team area.