Question NW1296 to the Minister of Labour
05 June 2017 - NW1296
Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister of Labour
(1) Whether her department (a) has undertaken or (b) intends to undertake studies to determine the viability of allocating more money directly to the Unemployment Insurance Fund instead of to her department’s employment standards programme; if not, in each case, why not; if so, what were the outcomes in each case; (2) whether her department has put any mechanisms in place to monitor the outcomes of her department’s employment standards programme; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) what factors did her department take into consideration when deciding to grant a 79% increase to the employment standards programme for the 2017-18 financial year?
Reply:
1. The Department has not undertaken and/or intends to undertake studies to determine the viability of allocating more money directly to the Unemployment Insurance Fund because the Fund has always been self-funding and as such it does not require any form of funding from the Department.
2. Yes, the monitoring mechanisms are based on the current performance management system.
3. The Department took into consideration amongst other things the human resources required for the monitoring; and successful implementation of the National Minimum Wage agreement.