asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many action committees have been set up to consider applications under the Government's job creation programme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that there are nine action committees, covering Scotland West, Scotland East and North, Wales, the West Pennine area, Merseyside, Northern England, Yorkshire and Humberside, the Midlands and South-West England. Applications from London, the Home Counties and South-East England are dealt with by the Job Creation Programme Central Unit in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are now employed in each United Kingdom region as a result of the Government's job creation programme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the table below shows the number of projects approved and the number of jobs created in each action committee area up to 30th January. 242 projects have started, but it is not possible to give a figure for the number of people employed at a given instant, since in many cases recruitment is phased over the first few weeks after the project has begun.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many projects in the North-West, Yorkshire and Humberside, respectively, have been approved under the Government's job creation programme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that by 30th January 86 projects had been approved in North-West England—including Merseyside—13 in Yorkshire and 10 in Humberside.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the exact effect in new jobs among those under 25 years of age by the job creation measures introduced by the Government.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that up to 30th January 610 projects from all parts of Great Britain had been approved, providing 7,949 jobs, of which approximately 90 per cent. will be filled by people under 25 years of age.