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19 Dec 2002 : Column 1013W—continued

Individual Learning Account

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what alternative arrangements have been made by his Department in respect of those persons on the New Deal who would previously have received assistance via the individual learning account scheme; and if he will make a statement. [85992]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 9 December 2002]: The individual learning account (ILA) programme was open to everyone aged 19 or over in England. The overall aim was to widen participation in learning and to help individuals overcome the financial barriers to learning they may have faced. ILA support could be used for non job specific career learning.

The New Deals offer people looking for work job-focused learning and training opportunities, specifically tailored to meet their individual needs. We are providing

19 Dec 2002 : Column 1014W

New Deal clients with the knowledge and skills they need to compete effectively in the labour market and move into work.

The New Deal 50 plus offers clients help with training through a training grant. In January 2002 we doubled the grant to #1,500. Of this, the amount that can be used for non job specific career training was also doubled to #300.

Intermediate Labour Programmes

Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many intermediate labour market programmes have received funding over the last five years; and how much they have received. [85702]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: We have this year launched 20 StepUP pilots offering guaranteed jobs for up to 5,000 long-term unemployed people. We are investing #40 million in the first two years of the pilot programme. The StepUP pilots are testing the use of intermediate labour markets for those who have not found work through the New Deal. The evaluation of StepUP will provide reliable evidence about the cost effectiveness of this type of intervention, and will inform decisions on the wider use of transitional employment schemes in our welfare to work strategy.

Separately, some New Deal providers match New Deal monies with their own funds to create intermediate labour market opportunities for individual participants. Information on the number of such arrangements and the expenditure incurred is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Jobcentre Plus

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) which local authority areas have been selected to receive additional points in respect of the Jobcentre Plus Job Entry Target set by his Department; what criteria were applied when selecting the areas; whom he consulted in respect of the selection; and if he will make a statement; [82508]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [pursuant to his answer, 27 November 2002, Official Report, column 319W]: The Jobcentre Plus job entry targets help focus the agency's efforts and resources on helping those people on whom we want to target more support to move from welfare into work. They include lone parents, disabled people and those living in the most disadvantaged areas of the country.

The way in which Job Entry and additional point scores have been allocated sends clear signals about our priorities to all Jobcentre Plus managers and staff who have been informed about them in writing.

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The 60 local authority areas attracting additional Job Entry point scores are in the table. These local authorities were chosen because they either have the highest unemployment rates or the highest minority ethnic populations. We consulted other Government Departments, the National Employment Panel and key stakeholders in deciding on these criteria.

Local authorities with lowest employment ratesLocal authorities with highest minority ethnic population
Blaenau GwentBarnet
CaerphillyBirmingham
Dundee CityBradford
EasingtonBrent
East AyrshireCamden
Glasgow CityCoventry
HackneyCroydon
HaltonEaling
HartlepoolEnfield
IslingtonGreenwich
Kingston-upon-HullHammersmith and Fulham
KnowsleyHaringey
LiverpoolHarrow
ManchesterHillingdon
Merthyr TydfilHounslow
MiddlesbroughKensington and Chelsea
Neath Port TalbotKirklees
Newcastle-upon-TyneLambeth
NewhamLeeds
North LanarkshireLeicester City
NottinghamLewisham
PembrokeshireLuton
Redcar and ClevelandMerton
Rhondda, Cynon, TaffRedbridge
SalfordSandwell
South TynesideSheffield
SouthwarkWaltham Forest
SunderlandWandsworth
Tower HamletsCity of Westminster
West DunbartonshireWolverhampton

Ministerial Engagements

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by him or his predecessor and (b) by Ministers in his Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002. [87344]

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Mr. McCartney [holding answer 16 December 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 16 December 2002, Official Report, column 608W.

New Deal

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people (a) aged (i) over 50 and (ii) under 30, and (b) people with disabilities have signed up to the New Deal in the Taunton Constituency. [83342]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: The information requested is in the table.

Cumulative number of participants in the New Deal in Taunton constituency

New DealAged 50+Aged under 30
Young People (from January 1998 to September 2002)859
25 plus (from June 1998 to September 2002)15894
50 plus (from April 2000 to September 2002)160
Lone Parents (from October 1998 to June 2002)20110

Note:

The numbers of participants in the New Deal for Disabled People and the New Deal for Partners are not available at constituency level.


Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of persons leaving (a) the gateway period and (b) each of the options in the New Deal entered (i) unsubsidised jobs and (ii) sustained jobs in each year since the establishment of the New Deal. [85988]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 9 December 2002]: The tables show the proportion of all leavers from the New Deal for Young People and re-engineered New Deal 25 plus who move into sustained, unsubsidised jobs from the gateway stage of the programme and from each of the options. In addition to these job outcomes we know from survey findings that around two-thirds of young people who leave options for unknown destinations do, in fact, find work.

For the Employment Option of the New Deal for Young People in particular, the figures prior to 2002 reflect follow-up work with employers to confirm job outcomes. This exercise will be repeated for 2002 leavers and we expect the figure of 33 per cent. to be revised in line with previous years' figures.

New Deal for Young People

Proportion of leavers moving into jobs by year (percentage)
Stage of leaving New Deal19981999200020012002 (to September)
Gateway4946444240
Employment Option56515151(41)33
Full Time Education and Training3832313129
Voluntary Sector3733333231
Environment Task Force3330313032

(41) Initial figure.

Note:

By definition, all jobs gained by New Deal leavers are sustained, unsubsidised jobs (ie to have left the programme, they must not re-claim Jobseeker's Allowance within 13 weeks). All figures are immediate destinations on leaving New Deal.

Source:

New Deal Evaluation Database


19 Dec 2002 : Column 1017W

Re-engineered New Deal 25 plus

Proportion of leavers moving into jobs by year (percentage)
Stage of leaving New Deal2001 (April to Decdember)2002 (January to September)
Gateway3329
Employment Option1312
Basic Employability Training2618
Self employment3532
Education/Training Opportunity1719
Work experience3321
Intensive Activity Period Training2922
Other (includes Training for Work)313

Notes:

1. By definition, all jobs gained by New Deal leavers are sustained, unsubsidised jobs, (ie to have left the programme, they must not re-claim Jobseeker's Allowance within13 weeks). All figures are immediate destinations on leaving New Deal.

2. In April 2001, New Deal 25 Plus was extended and enhanced. Annual figures for leavers moving into jobs by gateway and each option of the pre-April 2001 programme are not available. Summary figures for the programme are contained in the Statistical First Release, which is available in the Library.

Source:

New Deal Evaluation Database



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