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Adult Training Schemes
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was (a) the number of people and (b) the expenditure on adult training schemes as a result of unemployment caused by mental illness in each year since 1990-91; [27963]
- (2) what was (a) the number of people and (b) the expenditure on adult training schemes as a result of disability, excluding mental illness, in each year since 1990-91. [27964]
Mr. Paice: This information is not available.
Thamesmead Job Club
Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what consultations her Department held, and with whom, before the decision to close the Thamesmead job club. [28333]
Mr. Forth: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Robert Horne to Mr. John Austin-Walker, dated 7 May 1996:
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The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question, in the absence of the Chief Executive, about what consultations took place, and with whom, prior to the decision to close the Thamesmead Job Club.
Unemployment levels in the District have fallen and there has, as a result, been a corresponding reduction in resources available for Job Clubs.
The District Manager did not take the decision to close Thamesmead Job Club lightly. The decision was made on the basis of a review of all Job provision across South East London, taking into account.
(a) the numbers of eligible unemployed people from local Jobcentres;
(b) cost of Job Club provision;
(c) the performance of local Job Club in helping people find jobs;
(d) geographical location of Job Club and travel patterns.
Mr. Austin-Walker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will visit Thamesmead to discuss the proposed closure of the Thamesmead job club with unemployed people in the Thamesmead area. [28330]
The District Manager, his Business Managers and the Programme Providers across the District, taking full account of the demand for Job Club, took the decision to close Thamesmead to ensure an even distribution of available provision.
All eligible clients in the District will continue to have access to a Job Club, and fares will be reimbursed.
I hope this is helpful
Mr. Forth: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. John Austin-Walker, dated 7 May 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the closure of Thamesmead Jobclub as the issues raised fall within the operational responsibilities delegated to the Employment Service as an Executive Agency.
The decision to close Thamesmead Jobclub was not taken lightly and was arrived at after a review of all the Jobclub provision within the District.
In reaching the decision to close the Thamesmead Jobclub, we took into account the total number of unemployed people within the Thamesmead catchment area, the cost of the Jobclub provision, it's current performance and referral rates and the overall geographical location of the Jobclub in relation to travel to work patterns.
My District Manager considers that there will be sufficient places available in the existing Jobclubs to meet the local need. Indeed, those attending the Thamesmead Jobclub have been offered alternative placements for which the Employment Service will reimburse their fares in full.
In respect of your request that the Secretary of State visits the clients involved, perhaps the most appropriate course of action would be for the District Manager, Ray Nash, to meet with you and the existing Jobclub members to explain the position. Should you wish to contact him, his telephone number is 0181 308 1618.
I hope this is helpful.
Job Clubs
Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of job clubs; [28331]
- (2) how many job clubs are currently in existence; and how many she proposes to (a) close and (b) open in the next 12 months. [28332]
Mr. Forth: Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
7 May 1996 : Column: 112
Letter from Robert Horne at Mr. John Austin-Walker, dated 7 May 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to reply to your questions about Jobclubs.
The performance of Jobclubs is assessed on a regular basis to provide information which will improve the effectiveness of the Employment Service in helping unemployed people back into work.
Management information is collected monthly and is used to monitor the operation of the programme. The latest management information shows that in 1995/96 just over 95,500 people were placed into jobs following participation in a Jobclub and a further 24,300 took up other opportunities such as training places or starting their own business.
Periodic evaluations of the programme are also carried out. These examine, in more detail, various aspects of the operation and impact of the programme. Details of these studies copies can be obtained through the House of Commons library.
The Employment Service currently maintains a network of 1,338 Jobclubs throughout the country. This will provide places for around 204,000 unemployed people during 1996/97. This includes a number of specialist Jobclubs for people facing particular difficulties returning to the labour market.
With reductions in unemployment the number of Jobclub places will reduce. Decisions about where Jobclubs are located are made by the 154 District Managers who are responsible for the delivery of the full range of Employment Service programmes within their Districts. Wherever possible they will seek to maintain a network of Jobclubs which will be accessible to the vast majority of people of our clients. In some locations particularly in rural areas it may be difficult to operate a full time Jobclub. In these cases we are able to provide jobseekers with a Distance Learning Pack which contains advice and information to help with job search techniques.
Given changes in local labour market conditions it is difficult to be precise about how many Jobclubs will close and how many will be open during the next 12 months. However, I anticipate that the network will reduce by no more than 10 per cent during the year.
I hope this is helpful.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Joint Intelligence Committee
Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in reviewing and releasing the records of the Joint Intelligence Committee under the initiative announced on 25 June 1992; what are the locations within the Public Record Office of records which have been released; which years are covered by records which have been released; what records are now planned to be reviewed for release; and if he will make a statement. [28038]
Mr. Freeman: Good progress has been made with reviewing and releasing the records of the Joint Intelligence Committee--JIC--since my right hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave), then the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 25 June 1992 that JIC papers would in future not be covered by a blanket ban on release, but treated like all other Government records and released after 30 years unless the contents remained sensitive.
JIC minutes and memorandums for the years 1936 to 1950 have been reviewed. Those found to be no longer sensitive have been released in the Public Record Office--PRO--, Kew with the following class references--CAB 56/1-7, CAB 81/87-138, CAB 159/1-8, CAB 158/1-11.
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Post-1950 records are currently under review. Releasable records for the years 1951 to 1953 will be transferred to the PRO in early 1997. It is expected that the JIC records will continue to be released in three-year tranches every year until the review has been completed.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the grants and loans provided by his Department to businesses, together with the criteria they have to meet in order to obtain the subsidy. [28186]
Mr. Willetts:
The Cabinet Office does not make grants or loans to businesses.
Mr. Byers:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to publish a skills audit as part of the current year's competitiveness White Paper. [28128]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
The results of the Government's skills audit will be reported in the competitiveness White Paper. The skills audit itself will be published on the same day as the White Paper.
Mr. Byers:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to publish the current year's competitive White Paper. [28129]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
The third competitive White Paper will be published in the summer.
7 May 1996 : Column: 114
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