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Workstart
Sir Ralph Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many employers in the Margate travel-to-work area participate in the workstart scheme. [15830]
Mr. Forth: This information is not available for the town of Margate. Margate was included in the east Kent workstart pilot which ended in December 1994. It is estimated that over 400 employers had by then participated in east Kent.
Sir Ralph Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many employers were involved in the north-east workstart pilot scheme; what was the average number of employees participating in the scheme in each firm; and what was the overall cost or saving to public funds in each case; [15825]
- (2) how many employers were involved in the Devon and Cornwall workstart pilot scheme; what was the average number of employees participating in the scheme in each firm; and what was the overall cost or saving to public funds in each case; [15826]
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(3) how many employers were involved in the south London workstart pilot scheme; what was the average number of employees participating in the scheme in each firm; and what was the overall cost or saving to public funds in each case; [15827]
(4) how many employers were involved in the east Kent workstart pilot scheme; what was the average number of employees participating in the scheme in each firm; and what was the overall cost or saving to public funds in each case. [15828]
Mr. Forth: The first workstart pilot took place in Devon and Cornwall, Kent, Tyneside and south west London between July 1993 and December 1994. Information on participating employees and employers at the end of September is as follows:
| Pilot | Participants | Employers |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 418 | 380 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 475 | 309 |
| Tyneside | 222 | 130 |
| South West and South London | 210 | 144 |
By the end of December 1994, the total number of participating employees in the four pilots had reached 1,575, and it is estimated that over 1,000 employers had been involved. The total programme costs were £2.7 million. Savings to the Exchequer from any employment arise from long-term improvements in the functioning of the labour market and cannot be calculated in the terms requested.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the 16-hour limit for study under the jobseeker's agreement will apply to students on courses (i) funded by the European social fund and (ii) provided by the higher education sector; and if she will make a statement. [15572]
Mr. Forth: The 16 guided learning hours limit will apply only to courses which are funded or part-funded by the further education funding councils for England and Wales. The limit for courses of further education which are funded or part-funded by the Secretary of State for Scotland will be 16 hours of classroom-based or workshop-based programmed learning under the direct guidance of teaching staff and additional hours using structured learning packages supported by teaching staff up to a combined total of 21 hours. For all other courses the rule continues to be that the course must be part time, not full time.
Students (Social Fund)
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the number of students on courses funded by the European social fund who studied for (i) up to 16 hours a week, (ii) 16 to 21 hours and (iii) 21 hours and above in the latest year for which information is available. [15573]
Mr. Forth:
The information required is provided in the following table and has been taken from the 1994 final claims. It is provided in a format slightly different from
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that requested to prevent any student from being counted twice. Of approximately 1.6 million beneficiaries, the following breakdown is available.
| Hours studied | Number of beneficiaries(20) |
|---|---|
| Up to 16 hours per week | 400,600 |
| 17-21 hours per week(21) | 67,100 |
| More than 21 hours per week(22) | 923,300 |
(20) Figures rounded to nearest 100.
(21) Category does not include those studying for 16 hours per week.
(22) Category does not include those studying for 21 hours per week.
Approximately 200,000 beneficiaries are excluded from the table as the information on number of hours studied could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Suppliers
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to ensure that her Department identifies the size of its suppliers by the number of their employees. [15608]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Department for Education and Employment already identifies suppliers with fewer than 200 employees.
Teachers' Pensions
Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total amount paid in pension contributions (a) by employers of teachers in the public sector and (b) by teachers in Kirklees metropolitan council area. [15875]
Mr. Robin Squire: The total amounts paid in pension contributions to the teachers superannuation scheme during 1994-95 where £971,009,000 by teachers' employers in England and Wales and £4,166,542 by teachers in the Kirklees metropolitan borough council area.
Regulatory Bodies
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list each regulatory body for which she is responsible indicating for each the percentage of business people on the board. [15739]
Mr. Forth: The Department does not have responsibility for any regulatory bodies.
Nursery Vouchers Scheme
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of Thursday 15 February Official Report, column 683, concerning tenders for management of phase 1 of the voucher scheme for early years education, if she will name the two unsuccessful tenderers, and by what amount each tender was above or below that of the successful tender. [16227]
Mr. Robin Squire:
The two unsuccessful tenderers were Childcare Vouchers Ltd. and Energy Action Grants Agency. The tender prices are commercially confidential.
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Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to make changes to the travel-to-work interview scheme. [16300]
Mr. Forth:
The Employment Service has completed a comprehensive review of the scheme and tested a number of beneficial rule changes. An evaluation has confirmed that the scheme is a cost-effective means of helping unemployed people.
The main changes, which take effect from 1 April, are:
A copy of the evaluation report will be placed in the Library.
Mr. McAvoy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many times the method for calculating unemployment statistics has been changed since 1979; and what the current figure for unemployment would be if calculated by the method used in 1979. [14917]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
I have been asked to reply.
Like many other countries, the UK produces two official measures of unemployment--an administrative measure, referred to as the monthly claimant unemployment count, based on the system for claiming unemployment-related benefits and a survey measure based on the internationally standard International Labour Organisation definition.
There have been nine changes affecting the coverage of the monthly unemployment claimant count which have been significant enough to warrant a recasting of the consistent seasonally adjusted series. Details are given in the November 1995 edition of "Labour Market Trends".
The ILO measure of unemployment has been compiled and published on the same definition since 1984--annually 1984 to 1991; quarterly 1992 to date.
Although the two measures of unemployment are different, they show broadly similar trends.
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will give for 1995-96 the distribution of the moneys allocated for repairs and improvements to schools by education authority and opted-out schools; [15871]
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Mrs. Gillan:
The amounts made available to authorities for improvement work not covered by other priority categories totalled £18.5 million in 1995-96 and £31 million in 1996-97. The 1995-96 amounts distributed by formula to each authority totalled £15 million and are given in the following table. In addition, almost £3.5 million has been allocated for specific projects by supplementary credit approval. For 1996-97, £10 million will be distributed by formula and at least a further £21 million will be available through the schools renewal challenge fund.
I am confident that the changes better target the scheme on those it is meant to help, making it fairer and simpler to administer.
the removal of the upper salary limit;
help with second and subsequent interviews;
a more realistic interpretation of the condition that the job must be expected to last for 12 months or more;
help for the majority of self-employed jobs;
the qualifying period will change from 4 to 13 weeks and people will need to show they are claiming benefit. This supports our aim under the jobseeker's allowance to encourage people still unemployed after this time to widen their job search activities.
(2) what amount (a) was made available in 1995-96 and (b) will be made available in 1996-97 to education authorities for repairs and improvements; and what this sum represents per pupil. [15870]
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