House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Jul 1996 (pt 10)

Employment Service

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the performance of the Employment Service against its targets in 1995-96. [35289]

Mr. Forth: The Employment Service performed very well in 1995-96, meeting or exceeding 10 of the 12 targets set in the annual performance agreement. A total of 1,935,300 unemployed people were placed into jobs, against an annual target of 1.9 million. This represents 58,500 more placings than in 1994-95. Performance against all the targets for 1995-96 is set out in the following table:

Employment service performance against target April 1995 to March 1996

Annual performance targets Target levels Performance

1. To place 1.9 million unemployed people into work at a planned unit cost of £185, assuming 2.65 million vacancies are notified 1.9 million 1,935,300

2. 29.5 per cent. of total unemployed placings achieved to be long-term claimants 29.5 per cent. (560,500) 29.2 per cent. (565,800)

3. 27 per cent. of total unemployed placings achieved to be people in inner cities 27 per cent. (513,000) 27.5 per cent. (531,400)

4. 55 per cent. positive outcomes for unemployed claimants invited to a 12 month advisory interview 55 per cent. 57 per cent.

5. 45 per cent. positive outcomes for unemployed claimants invited to a 24 month advisory interview 45 per cent. 49 per cent.

6. 80 per cent. of starts on training for work to be referrals from the Employment Service 80 per cent. 83 per cent.

7. 9.5 per cent. of initial claim enquiries not to be pursued as new claims 9.5 per cent. 10.8 per cent.

8. 185,000 submissions to adjudication where there is an arguable case, with supporting information to show that the claimant is not available for, actively seeking or willing to accept work 185,000 273,900

9. At a planned unit cost per claimant of £15.80 for all benefit claims --despatch 75 per cent. of first payments of unemployment benefit within 12 days of claim 75 per cent. 74.6 per cent.

--97 per cent. of unemployment benefit payments by value to be correct 97 per cent. 96.7 per cent.

10. 4 per cent. of total unemployed placings achieved to be people with disabilities 4 per cent. (76,000) 4.5 per cent. (87,400)

11. 82,000 claims to be withdrawn of those suspected of obtaining benefit by deception following fraud investigation 82,000 88,500

12. To achieve £58 million in efficiency savings £58 million £74.63 million

Annual performance targets	Target levels	Performance
1. To place 1.9 million unemployed people into work at a planned unit cost of £185, assuming 2.65 million vacancies are notified	1.9 million	1,935,300

2. 29.5 per cent. of total unemployed placings achieved to be long-term claimants	29.5 per cent. (560,500)	29.2 per cent. (565,800)

3. 27 per cent. of total unemployed placings achieved to be people in inner cities	27 per cent. (513,000)	27.5 per cent. (531,400)

4. 55 per cent. positive outcomes for unemployed claimants invited to a 12 month advisory interview	55 per cent.	57 per cent.

5. 45 per cent. positive outcomes for unemployed claimants invited to a 24 month advisory interview	45 per cent.	49 per cent.

6. 80 per cent. of starts on training for work to be referrals from the Employment Service	80 per cent.	83 per cent.

7. 9.5 per cent. of initial claim enquiries not to be pursued as new claims	9.5 per cent.	10.8 per cent.
8. 185,000 submissions to adjudication where there is an arguable case, with supporting information to show that the claimant is not available for, actively seeking or willing to accept work	185,000	273,900

9. At a planned unit cost per claimant of £15.80 for all benefit claims --despatch 75 per cent. of first payments of unemployment benefit within 12 days of claim	75 per cent.	74.6 per cent.
--97 per cent. of unemployment benefit payments by value to be correct	97 per cent.	96.7 per cent.

10. 4 per cent. of total unemployed placings achieved to be people with disabilities	4 per cent. (76,000)	4.5 per cent. (87,400)

11. 82,000 claims to be withdrawn of those suspected of obtaining benefit by deception following fraud investigation	82,000	88,500

12. To achieve £58 million in efficiency savings	£58 million	£74.63 million

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Career Development Loans

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications for career development loans there have been in each year since 1990-91; and what is the projection for the current year. [35277]

Mr. Paice: The following table sets out the information requested:

Year Loans approved Loans rejected

1990-91 8,054 1,767

1991-92 10,432 4,260

1992-93 10,230 3,978

1993-94 12,159 4,966

1994-95 15,169 4,790

1995-96 13,287 5,129

Year	Loans approved	Loans rejected
1990-91	8,054	1,767
1991-92	10,432	4,260
1992-93	10,230	3,978
1993-94	12,159	4,966
1994-95	15,169	4,790
1995-96	13,287	5,129

The target for 1996-97 is 16,000 approved applications.

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many unemployed recipients of career development loans entered full-time employment on completion of their training. [35279]

Mr. Paice: Information on the number of trainees in work following training is obtained from a follow-up survey of trainees, which has been conducted since the start of the scheme in 1988. On the basis of this ongoing survey, 61 per cent. of career development loans supported trainees who were unemployed prior to training have found work within three months of completing their course.

1 Jul 1996 : Column: 296

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many recipients of career development loans have been served with default notices; and what proportion are unemployed. [35278]

Mr. Paice: At 31 May 1996, the number of career development loans which have been defaulted is 9,619 out of 78,874 loans issued. Information about numbers of defaulters who are unemployed is not available.

Project Work Pilots

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which organisations have been awarded contracts to run work experience placements for the project work pilots. [35285]

Mr. Forth: The Employment Service agreed contracts with nine organisations. In the Hull pilot they are:

Q-Mat
The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
GrandMet Trust
Instant Muscle
Forum for Work and in the Kent pilot:
Community Link
Career Ahead
Training Network
GrandMet Trust

Participants will be referred to placements with these organisations later this month.

Training for Work Scheme

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the weekly average number of working hours of participants in the training for work scheme; what is the current level of training premium they receive; when this figure was last reviewed; and what plans she has to increase this figure. [35149]

Mr. Paice: There are no figures available for the weekly average number of working hours for training for work trainees. The Government's agreement with training and enterprise councils stipulates that trainees shall have planned training of 21 hours or more in each seven-day period. Trainees receive an allowance based on the benefit they were receiving the day they joined the programme plus a premium of £10 per week. Training allowances are increased annually in line with benefit payments. The £10 premium was introduced in 1988. My right hon. Friend has no plans to increase this premium.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances claimants of jobseeker's allowance will have the right to a copy of their jobseeker's agreement prior to the new claim interview. [35287]

Mr. Forth: A jobseeker's agreement can be drawn up only after a full discussion between the jobseeker and an Employment Service adviser. This will normally take place at the new claim interview, and until then the jobseeker will be treated as having an agreement. People who are already claiming when the jobseeker's allowance

1 Jul 1996 : Column: 297

is introduced in October 1996 will also initially be treated as having an agreement, and the actual agreement will be drawn up at their next advisory interview. If a new claim for JSA is made within 14 days of a previous period of entitlement, the previous agreement will continue to have effect, but otherwise there are no circumstances in which an agreement can exist prior to the new claim interview.

Community Action

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many claimants attended community action in each year since 1993; and what outcomes were achieved by leavers in each year. [35282]

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. Terry Rooney, dated 1 July 1996:

The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to reply to your question about participants and outcomes on the Community Action programme.
The information you requested is in the tables attached.
Community Action started in July 1993 and recruitment to the programme ceased at the end of December 1995. Data relates to the three operational years over which the programme operated.
Information on outcomes is based on follow up surveys of leavers. Consequently, data is not yet available for participants who have left the programme more recently.
I hope this is helpful.

Table 1: Community action participants

Operational year	Number of starters
1993-94	23,389
1994-95	47,646
1995-96	28,770

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Table 2: Community action outcomes

	Percentage
Operational year	Entries into employment	Other outcomes(2)
1993-94	16.8	9.3
1994-95	14.5	12.3
1995-96(3)	14.0	9.1

(2) Other outcomes are entries into training for work or full-time education.

(3) Data for April to November 1995 (latest available).

Learning for Work Programme

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will place in the Library a copy of evaluation for the learning for work programme. [35286]

Mr. Paice: Copies of the evaluation reports were placed in the Library on 1 February.

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