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Statisticians
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) statisticians and (b) economists have been employed in his Department in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99, (c) 1999-2000 and (d) 2000-01. [137305]
Mr. Wills [holding answer 8 November 2000]: The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) employed 33 economists in each of the years 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
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The number of statisticians employed by DfEE in each of the four years in question was:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 39 |
| 1998-99 | 41 |
| 1999-2000 | 44 |
| 2000-01 | 52 |
The increase between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 includes regrading of staff as statisticians.
Departmental Employees (HIV)
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to ensure that people who are HIV-positive do not suffer discrimination as a result of employment practices followed by his Department. [137786]
Ms Hodge: I will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Nursery Places
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many nursery places were available in each of the last 20 years; and if he will estimate the number of such places in the next three years. [137823]
Ms Hodge: [holding answer 10 November 2000]: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Training Schemes
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people were on training schemes in each of the last 15 years. [137731]
Ms Jowell [holding answer 10 November 2000]: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many recipients of Jobseeker's Allowance have been (a) disqualified and (b) sanctioned for refusing offers of employment in each quarter since the introduction of the benefit. [138308]
Ms Jowell: Firstly, can I make clear that claims for Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) are not subject to disqualifications. Sanctions replaced disqualifications when JSA replaced Unemployment Benefit (UB) in 1996.
Information on the numbers and types of decisions given by Employment Service Officers on labour market questions are published in the "Analysis of Sector Decision Making" (formerly known as the "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions"), copies of which are held in the House of Commons Library.
The number of sanctions imposed for Refusal of Employment (RE) in each quarter since the introduction of JSA on 7 October 1996 are as follows. I should point out that the figures relate to the number of "sanctions",
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rather than the number of "recipients", as it is possible that some jobseekers have been sanctioned more than once in the course of one claim.
| Quarter | Number |
|---|---|
| 1 October 1996 to 31 December 1996 | 1,189 |
| 1 January 1997 to 31 March 1997 | 3,097 |
| 1 April 1997 to 30 June 1997 | 5,894 |
| 1 July 1997 to 30 September 1997 | 6,889 |
| 1 October 1997 to 31 December 1997 | 6,198 |
| 1 January 1998 to 31 March 1998 | 3,749 |
| 1 April 1998 to 30 June 1998 | 2,581 |
| 1 July 1998 to 30 September 1998 | 2,751 |
| 1 October 1998 to 31 December 1998 | 3,163 |
| 1 January 1999 to 31 March 1999 | 2,947 |
| 1 April 1999 to 30 June 1999 | 3,691 |
| 1 July 1999 to 30 September 1999 | 4,497 |
| 1 October 1999 to 31 December 1999 | 5,342 |
| 1 January 2000 to 31 March 2000 | 6,215 |
| 1 April 2000 to 30 June 2000 | 5,653 |
You may wish to note a number of factors underlying the figures set out in this letter. First, the total number of JSA claimants was falling over the period set out. Secondly, during the period October 1996 to March 1997 a number of claimants continued to receive UB as a transitional arrangement, and were liable to disqualification rather than a JSA sanction.
From the introduction of JSA in October 1996 to September 1997, the Employment Service Annual Performance Agreement (APA) included a target for referrals to adjudication officers on a number of grounds including Refusal of Employment. After a period of piloting, this was replaced in April 1999 by a new Labour Market Activity Target which, among other factors, measured the extent to which possible cases of RE had been appropriately followed up. The higher figure in the first quarter of 2000 reflects a period when a backlog of cases from the previous quarter was identified and referred for a formal decision. Figures for RE sanctions imposed during the period July to September 2000 are due to be lodged in the Library of the House by the end of December.
Skills Training
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the total budget for skills training was in each of the last 15 years; and what is the estimated budget for the next three years. [137732]
Mr. Wicks: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
New Deal Gateway
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many people have entered the New Deal gateway (a) once, (b) twice and (c) three times or more in respect of the (i) New Deal for Young People, (ii) New Deal for the over 25s, (iii) New Deal for the over 50s and (iv) New Deal 25-plus pilots; [138093]
- (2) when he will answer the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West for answer on 8 November. [140889]
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Ms Jowell
[holding answer 13 November 2000]: The latest figures show that to the end of August 2000:
(i) New Deal for Young People
(a) 408,845 young people had entered the Gateway period of New Deal once;
(b) 40,542 young people had entered the Gateway period of New Deal twice; and
(c) 1,242 young people had entered the Gateway period of New Deal three or more times.
Young people entering for a second or third time had not necessarily been through the full Gateway period before.
(ii) New Deal 25+
(a) 198,769 people aged 25+ had entered the advisory interview process period of New Deal once;
(b) 29,913 people aged 25+ had entered the advisory interview process period of New Deal twice; and
(c) 8,008 people aged 25+ had entered the advisory interview process period of New Deal three or more times.
We cannot provide figures for the number of people who have entered New Deal 50+ or 25+ pilots more than once. In practice very few people have had time to enter New Deal 50+ twice. It has been running nationally only since April 2000, and a client needs a full six months without a job before re-entering.
Education Funding (Wandsworth Borough)
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will list the sums given by his Department for education in the London Borough of Wandsworth in each of the last three years; [138665]
- (2) if he will list the school education projects which have received his Department's support in the Tooting parliamentary constituency in each of the last three years. [138666]
Ms Estelle Morris: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
New Deal for Young People
Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many benefit sanctions were imposed on participants in the New Deal for Young People scheme in each year since its introduction (a) nationally and (b) by region, broken down between each of the four options. [138353]
Ms Jowell [holding answer 17 November 2000]: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Research Organisations
Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research organisations are owned by his Department; and what their budgets are for the year 2000-01. [R] [140159]
Mr. Wicks: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
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School Closures
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many primary schools have closed in each year since 1990; and if he will indicate the reasons for closure in each case. [140331]
Ms Estelle Morris: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Labour Market Access
Mr. Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to introduce measures to tackle labour market access for the most disadvantaged groups; and if he will make a statement. [140832]
Ms Hodge: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
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