asked the Minister for Labour the total amount of money collected under the Youth Employment Levy since it was established; if he will give an estimate of the number of full time permanent jobs created from the funds collected; the changes, if any, which are planned in the way in which the funds are spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Youth Employment Levy Receipts.
9.
A total of £402 million has been collected under the youth levy since its introduction in April 1982 up to 31 May, 1987. The levy is used to fund job creation, training, work experience and vocational preparation programmes for young people.
The major youth job-creation schemes funded from the levy together with the numbers of jobs grant aided under the schemes between 1982 and 1986 are:—
|
The Community Enterprise Programme |
520 |
operated by |
|
The Youth Self Employment Programme |
1,123 |
|
|
Graduate Placement Programmes |
240 |
|
|
Employment Incentive Scheme and Enterprise |
11,9603,850 |
operated by the National Manpower Service |
All told, therefore, between 1982 and 31 December 1986 over 17,500 jobs were grant aided under these schemes. Most of these jobs are full time and permanent. Without detailed research it is impossible to say how many of these jobs survive. Temporary employment for young people is funded under the Teamwork scheme.
The training schemes operated by AnCO and CERT are also funded by the levy and assist young persons to get jobs. For example, the AnCO "Start Your Own Business Course" has assisted approximately 700 young persons to set up in business.
The legislation for the amalgamation of certain Manpower agencies which I will introduce very shortly will provide for the abolition of the age restriction on the use of levy funds. This will allow greater flexibility in financing programmes for different age groups. Actual decisions on the allocation of the levy will be taken in the context of the annual Estimates.
I want to refer to a question I raised earlier when I asked the Minister about the success of the enterprise allowance scheme. The Minister stated that 11,000 jobs were assisted under that scheme and that 17,000 jobs in total had been assisted from the funding of the Youth Employment Agency. He said that these jobs were permanent and full time but at the same time he said there is no indication as to how many of these jobs have survived. There seems to be a contradiction there. How soon does the Minister expect to be able to tell the House how many of the 17,000 jobs that have been grant aided are now in existence. Could he tell the House also what proportion of the £402 million collected under the Youth Employment Agency and the youth employment fund is being used for training as distinct from the grant aiding of jobs?
With regard to the question in relation to the employment incentive scheme, the 11,960 jobs are regarded as permanent. There are no hard facts because no research has been undertaken in relation to this. An effort is being made to devise a procedure which will keep some kind of contact with the people involved to find out how they are progressing.
Do they return to the labour exchange if they fail?
They are not followed through. Some research has been done by the Youth Employment Agency under the Teamwork scheme to try to follow the participants through their careers. With regard to the figures available in relation to the employment incentive scheme it has been taken that the jobs are permanent. However, we cannot stand over that figure because it has not been researched.
The second question the Deputy asked referred to the breakdown of the money collected on the levy.
I asked about the proportion of money spent on training under the various schemes, AnCO and so forth, as distinct from the grant aiding of job creation.
The information I have is that training accounts for about 45 per cent of levy expenditure with education accounting for about 29 per cent. I do not have any more detailed figures in relation to this.
Are you saying that about 30 per cent only of the fund is being spent on assisting job creation?
That is correct.
Is the Minister aware of a certain anxiety within the Youth Employment Agency lest their job creation activities, for example, the marketplace programme for science graduates, could be impaired if they found themselves caught up in the Jobsearch programme and if there was any pressure on them to make their selections exclusively from within the Jobsearch pool, to use Deputy Quinn's phrase.
I am so aware. I have met the chief executive of the agency to discuss that possibility and to try to ensure it does not happen.
Can the Minister assure the House that there will be no pressure on the Youth Employment Agency to restrict themselves in their selection of people for programmes such as marketplace science programmes and so on.
I cannot assure the House now because the Deputy was probably informed before I was. My meeting with the agency took place only some hours ago so I congratulate the Deputy on his efficiency.
Would the Minister not agree that the whole principle of the freedom of selection in order to ensure quality and, consequently, success is paramount to the basis of Deputy Birmingham's question——
Yes.
——and will he take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that in order to let them achieve that target they are not forced to accept other standards?
I will.