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The Committee notes the Government's report.

The Committee had previously considered in the context of the Jobseekers Opportunity Act (WIW) that recourse on a successive basis to pay schemes with a maximum hourly wage which, with a 32-hour working week, resulted in a total income of eight-ninths of the legal minimum wage, could raise problems and had therefore requested the Government to keep it informed in this regard.

The Committee notes with interest the Government's statement that recently the pay range of one of the programmes concerned has been extended and that the restrictions on the duration of the working week have been relaxed. Moreover, the Government has no intention of creating any new schemes in the near future.

The Committee requests the Government to send its comments on the recent communication of the FNV on the application of Conventions Nos. 98 and 154 dated 18 November 1999.