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Skills
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's strategy for upskilling the labour force.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
Youth Training
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of youth training participants have employer placements ;
(2) whose responsibility it is to find placements to implement the youth training guarantee.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what sums of money have been contributed from the European social fund towards the youth training scheme/youth training for the years 1989, 1990 and the current year ; and what percentage contribution to the total costs of YTS/youth training this represents for each year ; (2) what was the total expenditure in both cash and real terms on youth training excluding community industry in each of the years 1987-88 to 1990-91, and the planned expenditure in each of the years 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94 ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) by region and for Great Britain as a whole if he will give the latest available details showing the number of YT-YTS trainees in each of the training occupational groups, broken down to show (a) the number of male and female trainees in each group, (b) the ethnic origin of trainees in each group and (c) whether or not the young people had a disability ;
(4) for Great Britain and for each region, by male and female, at the most recent date, and at one year previously, how many YT trainees had contracts of employment ;
(5) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, if he will give the latest results of the YTS leavers survey, to show for male and female trainees and for each separate ethnic group and for those with a disability (a) those in full-time work with the same employer, (b) those in full-time work with a different employer, (c) those in part-time work, (d) those on a full-time course at a college or training centre, (e) those on another YTS, (f) those doing something else, (g) those who were unemployed, (h) those who had obtained a vocational qualification, (i) the number of questionnaires issued, (j) the usable percentage response rate and (k) the percentage of respondents who were early leavers ; (6) what were the numbers of accidents on YTS, fatal, major and minor, for the latest available three-month period ; and how many YTS placements were closed or not accepted in that period and in the three preceding months.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
Column 620
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are currently on the YTS ; how many are waiting for places ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : There are about 260,000 young people on youth training in England and Wales. Information on the total numbers waiting for places is not held centrally.
Restart
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, how many people have attended a Restart interview since 1 April ; and what were the results of those interviews, broken down in the same way as the answer given to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Lee) on 18 December 1990, Official Report, column 148.
(2) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many unemployed people have been referred to restart courses by Employment Service counsellors since January 1991 ; how many of them were unemployed for over two years ; how many attended and completed the courses ; what were the outcomes of the participants ; how many had benefit penalties imposed for not attending or failing to complete their attendance at the restart course ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters inthe Employment Service executive agency are theresponsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Young People (Benefits)
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by region and for Great Britain as a whole how many 16 and 17-year-olds were in receipt of extended child benefit and how many were in receipt of bridging allowance for each month since July 1990 ; how many young people in each region and in Great Britain exhausted their entitlement to either extended child benefit or the eight weeks bridging allowance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by region and for Great Britain as a whole how many 16 and 17-year-olds for each month since July 1990 have made applications for income support on grounds of extreme hardship and how many have been granted or refused ; what is his estimate of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds in that period who had been granted income support on grounds of being within an exempted category ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : I have been asked to reply.
The available information on severe hardship claims is in the following table.
Column 621
North West Midlands
Month |Total|Yes |No |Total|Yes |No
------------------------------------------------------
1990
July |337 |241 |96 |279 |183 |96
August |378 |262 |116 |300 |199 |101
September |274 |211 |63 |242 |169 |73
October |302 |243 |59 |254 |172 |82
November |299 |226 |73 |218 |151 |67
December |237 |183 |54 |166 |125 |41
1991
January |438 |331 |107 |323 |240 |83
February |436 |313 |123 |396 |285 |111
March |458 |343 |115 |364 |262 |102
April |418 |320 |98 |335 |254 |81
May |543 |419 |124 |479 |367 |112
June |533 |441 |92 |479 |379 |100
July |673 |543 |130 |687 |554 |133
August |625 |477 |148 |684 |536 |148
September |671 |517 |154 |695 |547 |148
North West Midlands
Month Total Yes No Total Yes No
1990
July 337 241 96 279 183 96
August 378 262 116 300 199 101
September 274 211 63 242 169 73
October 302 243 59 254 172 82
November 299 226 73 218 151 67
December 237 183 54 166 125 41
1991
January 438 331 107 323 240 83
February 436 313 123 396 285 111
March 458 343 115 364 262 102
April 418 320 98 335 254 81
May 543 419 124 479 367 112
June 533 441 92 479 379 100
July 673 543 130 687 554 133
August 625 477 148 684 536 148
September 671 517 154 695 547 148
Month Wales and South WeLondon North
|Total|Yes |No |Total|Yes |No
-------------------------------------------------------
July 1990 |188 |137 |51 |216 |144 |72
August |225 |150 |75 |254 |164 |90
September |192 |131 |61 |220 |152 |68
October |220 |163 |57 |220 |150 |70
November |201 |159 |42 |226 |161 |65
December |145 |115 |30 |169 |134 |35
January 1991 |332 |236 |96 |339 |255 |84
February |373 |283 |90 |385 |279 |106
March |378 |308 |70 |375 |284 |91
April |394 |318 |76 |378 |271 |107
May |480 |393 |87 |430 |341 |89
June |499 |417 |82 |449 |352 |97
July |730 |587 |143 |576 |477 |99
August |609 |510 |99 |528 |428 |100
September |685 |558 |127 |579 |475 |104
Month London South Totals for Great
|Total|Yes |No |Total|Yes |No
-------------------------------------------------------
July 1990 |240 |160 |80 |2,436|1,755|681
August |237 |177 |60 |2,795|1,963|832
September |165 |125 |40 |2,186|1,611|575
October |223 |164 |59 |2,483|1,841|642
November |198 |145 |53 |2,354|1,788|566
December |153 |103 |50 |1,721|1,323|398
January 1991 |316 |225 |91 |3,378|2,540|838
February |338 |239 |99 |3,623|2,711|912
March |394 |296 |98 |3,698|2,799|899
April |370 |290 |80 |3,515|2,719|796
May |488 |391 |97 |4,530|3,589|941
June |384 |333 |51 |4,251|3,490|761
July |624 |508 |116 |5,563|4,478|1,085
August |553 |452 |101 |5,298|4,242|1,056
September |657 |539 |118 |5,408|4,301|1,107
Information with regard to payment of income support to 16 and 17-year-olds in exempted categories is not available.
Low Pay
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish tables in the Official Report showing the proportion of (a) full- time employees earning less than (i) £138.74, (ii) £185.00 and (iii) £193.60 per week excluding overtime payments and (b) part time employees earning less than (1) £3.70, (2) £4.92 and (3) £5.15 per hour excluding overtime payments for (A) Great Britain as a whole, (B) each county in England, (C) each county in Wales, (D) each London borough and Greater London as a whole and (E) each regional authority and borough in Scotland.
Mr. Jackson : The information available from the 1991 New Earnings Survey is given in the following tables.
Gross weekly earnings excluding overtime of full-time
employees on
adult rates-pay unaffected by absence
Percentage earning less than specified amounts-April
1991
|<£130|<£140|<£180|<£190|<£200
--------------------------------------------------------
Greater London |3.0 |4.4 |13.3 |16.4 |19.7
City of London |1.5 |2.0 |5.9 |7.6 |9.7
London Boroughs
Barking |3.7 |5.9 |16.8 |20.6 |24.3
Barnet |4.2 |7.7 |20.8 |23.0 |27.4
Bexley |5.3 |7.6 |20.8 |24.4 |28.1
Brent |4.1 |6.2 |20.5 |25.1 |28.8
Bromley |7.0 |8.9 |25.9 |30.2 |34.1
Camden |1.8 |2.7 |9.4 |11.9 |15.1
Croydon |3.9 |6.6 |18.6 |22.3 |26.7
Ealing |3.0 |4.1 |13.9 |17.1 |21.6
Enfield |4.5 |7.2 |19.7 |22.9 |27.8
Greenwich |4.4 |6.5 |19.8 |23.0 |28.9
Hackney |5.0 |6.2 |17.4 |19.0 |21.2
Hammersmith |2.9 |4.4 |11.6 |14.1 |17.3
Haringey |5.3 |6.9 |19.1 |22.7 |27.6
Harrow |4.6 |5.6 |15.2 |19.1 |21.5
Havering |6.2 |9.4 |24.7 |28.2 |31.8
Hillingdon |2.4 |4.0 |15.7 |19.3 |21.9
Hounslow |2.0 |2.8 |11.0 |13.6 |16.7
Islington |2.2 |3.4 |7.7 |9.9 |13.1
Kensington and
Chelsea |3.8 |5.8 |17.1 |21.1 |24.6
Kingston/Thames |2.8 |5.4 |16.9 |20.8 |25.1
Lambeth |1.7 |2.9 |9.3 |12.7 |16.2
Lewisham |5.0 |7.0 |20.4 |23.1 |25.8
Merton |3.8 |5.9 |18.8 |22.6 |27.1
Newham |2.4 |3.4 |13.1 |18.4 |23.6
Redbridge |4.8 |7.2 |21.0 |25.2 |29.7
Richmond/Thames |3.0 |3.8 |13.3 |19.0 |20.5
Southwark |2.4 |3.5 |10.2 |13.6 |16.1
Sutton |3.1 |4.0 |14.6 |19.0 |24.3
Tower Hamlets |3.2 |4.2 |10.4 |13.0 |16.1
Waltham Forest |5.6 |6.8 |18.0 |24.4 |31.6
Wandsworth |2.7 |4.7 |17.0 |19.7 |24.4
City of Westminster |2.1 |3.3 |10.0 |13.1 |15.2
Bedfordshire |6.3 |9.9 |26.6 |31.7 |36.1
Counties
South East Region
Berkshire |3.6 |5.8 |18.7 |22.5 |27.3
Buckinghamshire |5.6 |8.2 |23.6 |28.7 |33.8
East Sussex |8.4 |12.2 |34.1 |40.4 |45.7
Essex |6.9 |10.2 |28.9 |33.8 |38.0
Hampshire |6.9 |10.4 |29.4 |33.6 |37.8
Hertfordshire |3.1 |5.5 |19.5 |23.1 |27.0
Isle of Wight |11.9 |15.7 |33.8 |41.0 |44.3
Kent |8.3 |12.3 |30.1 |34.3 |38.7
Oxfordshire |5.3 |8.7 |25.9 |30.4 |34.4
Surrey |4.5 |6.3 |19.7 |23.3 |27.7
West Sussex |6.2 |9.7 |27.3 |31.5 |36.5
East Anglia Region
Cambridgeshire |7.8 |11.4 |30.7 |35.2 |39.2
Norfolk |10.4 |15.8 |38.3 |43.4 |48.2
Suffolk |10.0 |14.4 |36.1 |40.0 |44.9
South West Region
Avon |7.0 |10.3 |29.1 |33.0 |36.8
Cornwall |19.7 |27.2 |49.0 |54.2 |59.1
Devon |12.8 |17.8 |39.5 |44.6 |50.2
Dorset |9.2 |13.9 |35.8 |42.0 |46.5
Gloucestershire |8.4 |11.8 |29.8 |35.4 |39.8
Somerset |11.7 |17.3 |37.3 |40.9 |45.5
Wiltshire |7.5 |11.4 |31.0 |34.9 |39.0
West Midlands
Region
West Midlands
Met County |9.2 |13.0 |31.4 |36.4 |40.6
Hereford/Worcester |10.5 |16.7 |41.1 |45.6 |50.6
Shropshire |12.6 |18.1 |43.4 |49.2 |52.8
Staffordshire |13.3 |17.3 |40.4 |45.1 |50.1
Warwickshire |9.5 |13.1 |33.9 |37.1 |39.6
East Midlands
Region
Derbyshire |9.6 |13.8 |31.8 |37.4 |42.2
Leicestershire |11.6 |15.9 |35.3 |40.6 |46.0
Lincolnshire |14.2 |19.1 |44.5 |49.7 |54.2
Northamptonshire |7.4 |11.2 |33.1 |38.5 |43.5
Notthinghamshire |12.0 |16.0 |36.9 |41.5 |45.5
Yorkshire and
Humberside
Region
South Yorkshire
Met County |10.2 |14.2 |32.7 |37.2 |41.8
West Yorkshire
Met County |10.9 |16.3 |36.2 |41.3 |46.5
Humberside |12.9 |17.9 |39.2 |42.9 |46.7
North Yorkshire |12.0 |16.6 |40.0 |45.0 |50.5
North West Region
Greater Manchester
Met County |10.5 |14.9 |33.8 |38.6 |42.9
Merseyside Met
County |9.9 |13.3 |34.2 |38.7 |43.1
Cheshire |8.3 |10.9 |29.3 |33.7 |38.7
Lancashire |11.5 |16.2 |38.3 |42.9 |47.3
Northern Region
Tyne and Wear
Metropolitan County 10.5 14.4 35.7 41.7 45.8
Cleveland |11.8 |15.2 |32.6 |37.2 |40.0
Cumbria |10.9 |14.6 |30.9 |34.9 |39.7
Durham |13.8 |18.4 |37.7 |44.5 |48.9
Northumberland |16.0 |20.5 |42.6 |47.7 |52.7
Wales
Clwyd-West |18.7 |23.2 |44.2 |48.2 |51.8
Clwyd-East |12.9 |15.2 |33.1 |39.0 |43.0
Dyfed
(ex Llanelli) |18.6 |23.1 |45.5 |51.9 |56.1
Gwent |12.1 |16.4 |36.8 |42.5 |47.6
Gwynedd |13.5 |18.5 |42.7 |48.8 |52.2
Mid Glamorgan |11.9 |18.0 |39.2 |44.9 |49.6
Powys |15.3 |23.3 |39.8 |44.9 |48.9
South Glamorgan |7.6 |11.2 |33.4 |38.9 |44.0
West Glamorgan
(in Llanelli) |11.2 |16.4 |34.1 |38.8 |43.3
Scotland
Borders |.. |.. |.. |.. |..
Central |12.4 |17.4 |38.1 |44.2 |48.6
Dumfries/Galloway |15.5 |18.4 |46.9 |51.6 |53.8
Fife |12.8 |17.2 |43.0 |46.1 |49.6
Grampian |10.8 |14.8 |31.9 |35.4 |39.0
Highland |13.3 |19.8 |42.0 |47.8 |50.9
Lothian |9.5 |13.8 |35.1 |39.6 |44.9
Strathclyde |10.9 |15.1 |35.5 |41.2 |45.8
Tayside |12.9 |18.1 |41.3 |45.9 |51.9
Orkney, Shetlands,
Western Islands |13.8 |17.4 |25.7 |31.2 |34.9
Highlands/Islands |13.4 |19.3 |38.4 |44.1 |47.4
Great Britain |8.6 |12.2 |30.1 |34.6 |38.9
Gross hourly earnings excluding overtime of part-time employees on
adult rates-pay unaffected by absence
Percentage earning less than specified amounts-April 1991
Women |<£3.60 |<£3.80 |<£4.80 |<£5.40
Greater London |17.7 |24.1 |53.2 |65.1
City of London |- |- |- |-
London boroughs
Barking |- |- |- |-
Barnet |22.7 |34.7 |60.0 |74.7
Bexley |- |- |- |-
Brent |- |- |- |-
Bromley |- |- |- |-
Camden |- |- |- |-
Croydon |- |- |- |-
Ealing |- |- |- |-
Enfield |- |- |- |-
Greenwich |- |- |- |-
Hackney |- |- |- |-
Hammersmith |- |- |- |-
Haringey |- |- |- |-
Harrow |- |- |- |-
Havering |30.3 |41.6 |77.5 |85.4
Hillingdon |- |- |- |-
Hounslow |- |- |- |-
Islington |- |- |- |-
Kensington and Chelsea |- |- |- |-
Kingston/Thames |- |- |- |-
Lambeth |- |- |- |-
Lewisham |- |- |- |-
Merton |- |- |- |-
Newham |- |- |- |-
Redbridge |19.3 |26.1 |61.4 |77.3
Richmond/Thames |- |- |- |-
Southwark |- |- |- |-
Sutton |11.1 |15.6 |46.7 |68.9
Tower Hamlets |- |- |- |-
Waltham Forest |- |- |- |-
Wandsworth |- |- |- |-
Westminster |- |- |- |-
Counties
South East region
Bedfordshire |41.0 |44.0 |79.1 |85.1
Berkshire |30.3 |37.1 |66.8 |74.8
Buckinghamshire |29.1 |36.1 |60.7 |73.4
East Sussex |37.3 |44.0 |71.1 |79.6
Essex |45.8 |53.0 |76.3 |82.8
Hampshire |44.2 |52.0 |76.9 |82.7
Hertfordshire |32.5 |42.1 |68.0 |77.6
Isle of Wight |51.5 |57.6 |75.8 |83.3
Kent |44.3 |51.3 |73.2 |79.1
Oxfordshire |43.0 |48.4 |69.1 |78.1
Surrey |30.3 |36.7 |61.8 |74.4
West Sussex |45.6 |52.3 |74.0 |81.9
East Anglia Region
Cambridgeshire |42.0 |48.0 |74.5 |85.0
Norfolk |50.2 |55.4 |76.3 |82.7
Suffolk |48.1 |57.0 |78.5 |82.7
South West Region
Avon |48.6 |55.5 |73.6 |83.4
Cornwall |61.7 |67.2 |83.6 |90.6
Devon |54.7 |57.7 |81.0 |85.7
Dorset |51.5 |57.3 |73.5 |78.8
Gloucestershire |45.2 |52.8 |72.4 |81.4
Somerset |51.9 |62.7 |81.1 |85.9
Wiltshire |50.8 |57.6 |80.1 |86.4
West Midlands Region
West Midlands Metropolitan County |48.9 |55.3 |76.1 |82.4
Hereford and Worcester |57.7 |65.8 |82.0 |84.2
Shropshire |- |- |- |-
Staffordshire |57.7 |64.4 |84.0 |86.4
Warwickshire |52.4 |58.6 |80.6 |86.9
East Midlands Region
Derbyshire |57.5 |63.5 |83.2 |89.5
Leicestershire |46.3 |55.8 |74.6 |82.3
Lincolnshire |56.1 |61.0 |80.0 |87.3
Northamptonshire |49.8 |57.7 |79.8 |84.0
Nottinghamshire |54.9 |60.9 |80.9 |87.0
Yorkshire and
Humberside Region
South Yorkshire Metropolitan County |55.4 |61.4 |79.8 |86.3
West Yorkshire
Metropolitan County |48.9 |59.4 |79.3 |84.9
Humberside |50.9 |63.1 |81.2 |86.2
North Yorkshire |51.4 |55.7 |80.4 |85.9
North West Region
Greater Manchester Metropolitan County |48.2 |56.6 |80.4 |84.9
Merseyside Metropolitan County |48.7 |57.5 |79.1 |84.6
Cheshire |54.1 |62.2 |80.7 |87.1
Lancashire |50.7 |57.0 |77.2 |84.6
Northern Region
Tyne and Wear:
Metropolitan County |54.9 |63.6 |81.7 |89.2
Cleveland |58.9 |62.8 |76.7 |82.2
Cumbria |52.7 |55.6 |81.0 |89.8
Durham |58.7 |63.5 |81.2 |87.5
Northumberland |- |- |- |-
Wales
Clwyd, West |- |- |- |-
Clwyd, East |- |- |- |-
Dyfed (ex Llanelli) |- |- |- |-
Gwent |50.0 |55.8 |71.0 |77.5
Gwynedd |54.7 |65.6 |81.2 |89.1
Mid Glamorgan |56.1 |71.7 |81.3 |85.0
Powys |- |- |- |-
South Glamorgan |51.2 |56.0 |77.8 |86.0
West Glamorgan
(in Llanelli) |61.2 |67.8 |81.8 |89.3
Scotland
Borders |- |- |- |-
Central |- |- |- |-
Dumfries/Galloway |- |- |- |-
Fife |63.7 |69.4 |86.3 |87.9
Grampian |51.8 |57.7 |77.0 |81.5
Highland |- |- |- |-
Lothian |43.2 |55.7 |77.6 |82.5
Strathclyde |43.0 |51.5 |74.4 |80.6
Tayside |57.1 |60.5 |78.9 |83.7
Orkney, Shetlands
Western Islands |- |- |- |-
Highlands/Islands |- |- |- |-
Great Britain |45.8 |52.9 |74.7 |81.7
ADULTS
Great Britain |45.7 |52.7 |74.0 |80.8
Source: New Earnings Survey "-" denotes not available.
Column 627
Performance Targets
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the performance targets of the Employment Department group.
Mr. Jackson : The performance targets, which are available at the time of its publication in the early part of the year, are set out in the departmental report.
Targets for the Employment Service agency and for TEC-delivered programmes are agreed after the publication of the departmental report. The Employment Service targets are published in the annual performance agreement at the beginning of each financial year. The TEC network is now complete, and targets for TEC delivered programmes will be agreed with all 82 TECs in their annual business plans prior to the start of the next financial year. The national aggregate of individual TEC targets will be announced to Parliament following completion of the negotiations with all the TECs.
Remploy, Stoke-on-Trent
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will reconsider his decision to allow non-disabled staff to be employed on a casual basis in the Remploy workshop in Stoke-on-Trent in jobs which were primarily intended for people with severe disabilities.
Mr. Jackson : Remploy continues to fulfil its statutory duty to provide productive work in sheltered conditions for people with severe disabilities. In order to help fulfil this statutory duty and to provide real jobs Remploy operates as a commercial company. As a result Remploy also employs non-disabled staff where it considers this necessary. I understand that in order to meet short-term demands in work recently being undertaken by its Stoke-on-Trent factory, the company decided to take on both disabled and non-disabled people to fill some temporary vacancies.
Sheep Dip
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now publish the research carried out by the Health and Safety Executive on the effects of organophosphorus sheep dip on farmers ; what other studies into this matter are being funded by his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The Health and Safety Executive has not carried out research into the effects of organophosphorus sheep dip on farmers' health. A pilot survey carried out in the south-west in autumn 1990 was to look at sheep dipping practices and to contribute towards the validation of a biological monitoring method which relies on urine measurements rather than blood sampling. The survey was undertaken for operational reasons by HSE to determine appropriate avenues for further research. There are no plans to publish it in its present form.
Following this pilot survey HSE is commissioning research into the possible chronic long-term effects--neuropsychological effects--of exposure to organophosphoros sheep dip. Work is also being commissioned on the occupational hygience aspects of sheep dipping--dip bath design and dipping technique. HSE agricultural inspectors will next year undertake a survey of sheep dipping facilities on farms.
Column 628
Private Security Firms
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984-85.
Mr. Forth : At present the following private firms provide security for the Employment Department :
Buxton and High Peak Security Services
Group 4 Security
Guarda Security
Halton Security Systems
Keywatch Security
Neptune Security Services
Reliance Security Services
Securiguard
Security Express Guards
Stirling Security
The total value (£000s) of contracts since 1984-85 is :
|£000s
--------------------
1984-85 |300
1985-86 |331
1986-87 |427
1987-88 |502
1988-89 |444
1989-90 |540
1990-91 |664
|--
Total £3.208 milli
Training Credits
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the evaluation of the first phase of training credits will be published ; and if special needs is one of the selection criteria being used for the second round of bids for training credits.
Mr. Jackson : I hope to publish evaluation results from the first nine months of operating training credits in the spring of 1992. Evaluation will, of course, continue well beyond that, to identify the achievements of young people currently beginning training and the impact of credits on young people who leave school in 1992 and subsequently. Training for those with special needs is one of the factors that I will take into account in selecting successful applications for the second round, and all bidders were specifically asked to set out their plans for meeting special training needs.
North-West Tourism
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to visit Southport during the next six months to discuss the north- west tourist industry.
Mr. Forth : My noble Friend Viscount Ullswater, who has ministerial responsibility for tourism matters, has no specific plans to visit Southport. However, he would be happy to do so when a suitable opportunity arises in his regional visits programme.
BTA Heritage Committee
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the British Tourist Authority's heritage committee.
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Mr. Forth : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has never been invited to meet this committee, which advises the board of the British Tourist Authority.Age Discrimination
Mr. Ward : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to prevent discrimination against job applicants by reason of their age alone.
Mr. Jackson : Age discrimination against job applicants is short- sighted and wasteful. My colleagues and I are taking every opportunity to emphasise that employers should make more effective use of the valuable qualities of skill, experience and reliability that older people can bring to a job. We shall continue to promote good practice in the recruitment and employment of older workers.
Tourism
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions to discuss future prospects for the tourist industry.
Mr. Forth : I addressed the first conference to be organised by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions on Thursday 17 October 1991 and also answered questions from delegates. My noble Friend, Viscount Ullswater, has on a number of occasions held discussions with representatives of the association.
Visual Disability
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the Royal National Institute for the Blind to discuss the difficulties blind people find in getting a job.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
Non-vocational Qualifications
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take immediate action to ensure that relevant qualifications such as may be provided by the City and Guilds institutions or which are approved by industry training boards are recognised as satisfactory national vocational qualifications ; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in agreeing such recognition.
Mr. Jackson : National vocational qualifications are based on occupational standards identified by representative employer-led bodies some of which are industry training boards. In conjunction with awarding bodies such as the City and Guilds of London institute they can submit proposals to the National Council for Vocational Qualifications, for accreditation as NVQs provided that they meet the NVQ criteria.
Many NVQs proposed by CGLI and supported by the appropriate lead body have already gained accreditation. I am assured that there is no undue delay by NCVQ in accrediting qualifications which meet the NVQ criteria.
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Industrial Tribunals
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to bring forward appropriate measures to give industrial tribunals jurisdiction over complaints of breach of employment contracts ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The Government are firmly committed to giving industrial tribunals this jurisdiction, as announced by my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) last year. However, it is now clear that the powers contained in section 131 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 are inadequate for achieving this objective. The Government therefore propose to include a provision to enable industrial tribunals to hear complaints arising from breach of contract of employment at the earliest appropriate opportunity in a future legislative programme.
Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many agreements have been made with employers to operate the job interview guarantee scheme since it was extended nationally in April 1991 ; how many unemployed people have taken part in the scheme in each area ; and how many participants have secured full-time employment with their sponsoring employer ;
(2) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many employers have participated in job interview guarantee work trials since the national extension of the scheme on 1 April 1991 ; how many claimants have participated in such work trials ; how many claimants are currently participating in work trials ; and how many participants have got full-time employment with their work trial employer.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred these questions for reply.
Expenditure Statistics
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the expenditure by planning total for each of the years 1984-85 to 1990-91, inclusive, and the estimated planning total for 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94 in both cash and real terms.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
Employment Expenditure
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for Great Britain how much expenditure, excluding administration costs, at cash and constant prices, has been spent in each year since 1983- 84 on (a) employment training, and the earlier programmes it replaced, (b) youth training, and the earlier YTS and YOP, (c) the enterprise allowance scheme, (d) job clubs and (e) Restart courses ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
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Career Development Scheme
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, how many applications for loans under the career development scheme have been made to date and how many have been rejected ; what have been the successful course completion rates in each area ; how much has been awarded in total for each region ; how much has been recovered, and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : I will write to the hon. Member.
Job Clubs
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole since April 1991 how many people have joined job clubs ; how many have left ; how many leavers got jobs ; how many entered another positive outcome ; and if he will give that information broken down by the ethnic origin and male/female characteristics of participants.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Actively Seeking Work Test
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claimants in each quarter since September 1990 for each region and for Great Britain as a whole have (a) been issued with warning letters for not actively seeking work, (b) had their claim referred to an arbitration for not actively seeking work, (c) had their claims allowed or disallowed for not actively seeking work, (d) had their claim referred to an officer for refusing suitable employment and (e) how many of those in (d) have had their benefit disqualified or not disqualified.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Benefit Claimants
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole for each quarter since October 1989, how many income support and unemployment benefit claimants have (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully claimed income support under the hardship rules, showing those whose claim was in doubt due to (i) not actively seeking work, (ii) refusing suitable employment and (iii) availability for work.
Miss Widdecombe : I have been asked to reply.
The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member shortly with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
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