To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the latest figures for the number of work trial placements completed under the job interview guarantee scheme for each of the sites of the pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The number of work trial placements completed is as follows:

Pilot area	Number of work trials	Number/found employment
Lower Don Valley	1	1
Leeds	2	2
Sunderland	1	1
Cardiff	1	—

The job interview guarantee involves an employer guaranteeing to interview long-term unemployed people from inner cities who are submitted from one or more of the following: matching-screening service, a job preparation course, a job club adopted by an employer, a work trial and a customised training course. It was formally launched in 20 pilot areas in November 1989. The latest available information is that 1,556 individuals, which includes those still participating, and 403 employers have participated in the initiative. The progress of the pilots has been encouraging. So far, 587 people have been placed in jobs including 60 per cent. of participants in the job preparation courses.