Vol. 461 No. 7
32 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education when she received the report of the Working Party on an Employee Assistance Welfare Service Programme for Teachers; if she accepted the recommendations of the working party; if she will give a timescale for the establishment of such a service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1954/96]
The report of the working party was submitted to my Department last August. It recommended the establishment of a two-year pilot employee assistance scheme for primary and second level teachers. I am pleased to confirm my agreement to the setting up of this pilot scheme which will involve the appointment of ten employee assistance officers.
A number of issues of detail remain to be finalised in discussion with the interested parties. I am confident that, with the co-operation of all parties, these can be dealt with quickly and the pilot scheme put in place without delay.
Will the Minister give a specific date when this will take place? Agreement was reached in early July 1995 and the report was forwarded to the Minister. This pilot employee assistance scheme was to be established but it fell victim to the cutbacks in June. Many people want to know when the welfare service, particularly this pilot scheme, will be put in place.
The Deputy must have known what would be in the report before it was prepared. The Clark report was ready in August 1995. It considered the need to bring forward proposals to establish a welfare service. A commitment given in the White Paper that the Government would establish such a service was repeated in the Programme A Government of Renewal and in the Programme for Competitiveness and Work. The working party met seven times and the report was produced in August. Its recommendations are generally acceptable to me although a few outstanding issues to be resolved are being discussed with the interested parties. The pilot scheme will be in place this year.
