§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to assist those who become unemployed following the closure of the Massey Ferguson plant in Coventry to find new work. [70801]
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown[holding answer 22 July 2002]: Through the Rapid Response Service, we have already responded to the announcement of the job losses at Agco (Massey Ferguson) in Coventry, meeting key partners to discuss the assistance needed to help those facing redundancy.
1596WWorking with its partners, Jobcentre Plus will offer a tailored, co-ordinated package of support appropriate to the needs of the workers being affected by the redundancies. This will include information and advice on all aspects of job search, skills and training analysis to help identify individuals' transferable skills and any training needs. Early access to a range of Jobcentre Plus programmes, including the New Deals, will be offered and, where appropriate, re-training will be given. Funding will also be available to pay for one-off support to address individual barriers to re-employment linked to specific job offers.