45 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Labour if he will give details of the numbers of people who have finished social employment scheme placements since the beginning of 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The social employment scheme is the principal manpower intervention to help the long term unemployed and provides participants with an average of 20 hours work per week for 52 weeks.

During the year to August 1992, 9,491 persons left the scheme, the majority having completed a full term with the remainder leaving for various other reasons.