asked the Minister for Labour if he has detailed figures for the number of young people or first-time job seekers who have been employed outside and inside the public sector under the Employment Incentive Scheme in 1979, 1980 and 1981; the payments to young people; and the expenditure under the scheme.
Written Answers. - Youth Employment.
627.
The scheme applies to employers in the manufacturing industry and agriculture (including horticulture), the construction industry, the hotel and catering industry and the services sector generally. In May 1980 public sector concerns together with banks, building societies and finance companies were removed from the scope of the scheme.
Tax-free premiums at the rate of £20 per week for experienced workers, or £14 per week for first-time job seekers are payable for up to 24 weeks in respect of each additional eligible worker recruited.
Information as requested is shown in the following table:
|
1979 |
1980 |
1981 (to end October) |
||
|
First-time job seekers in the private sector |
Number |
3525 |
3389 |
1310 |
|
First-time job seekers in the public sector |
Number |
68 |
435 |
— |
|
Expenditure in respect of first-time job seekers (estimated) |
£ |
1,425,000 |
1,389,000 |
366,000 |
|
Total expenditure on Scheme |
£ |
4,191,844 |
3,720,337 |
983,228 |
In 1980 a system of temporary supplementary premiums was introduced, details as follows:—
Arising out of the commitment to further job creation measures in the 1979 national understanding, temporary supplementary premiums were payable in respect of eligible employees recruited in the first half of 1980. These were funded from the Employment Guarantee Fund, and were intended to act as a further incentive to employers to recruit unemployed persons, particularly the long-term unemployed. A temporary supplementary premium of £10 per week was payable in respect of all eligible persons recruited and a further temporary supplementary premium of £10 per week in the case of those persons who had been on the live register for at least 26 weeks in the 12 months immediately preceding employment under the scheme.
Payments from this fund amounted to £234,000 (estimated) in respect of first-time job seekers. Total payments were £417,472. The numbers involved are already included in the table.