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20 Dec 2004 : Column 1443W—continued
Jobcentre Plus
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are employed by Jobcentre Plus; what the running cost of the body was in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the future of the body. [203822]
Jane Kennedy: The average number of full-time equivalent persons employed by Jobcentre Plus in 2003–04 was 79,644. This figure includes senior management, staff on secondment or loan to the Agency, staff employed on fixed term and temporary contracts, but excludes staff on secondment to other organisations.
The latest information available on staff numbers up to the end of October 2004 indicates that the number of full-time equivalent persons employed by the Agency has fallen to 76,664, a reduction in staff numbers of approximately 3,000 since April 2004.
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The net administration cost for Jobcentre Plus for the year ended 31 March 2004 was £3,041,511,000 as published in the Jobcentre Plus Annual Report and Accounts 2003–04 (HC909).
We plan to complete the rollout of Jobcentre Plus1 new integrated services across the country in 2006. This service brings together help for customers of working age looking for work or wishing to claim benefits, while out of work. As we continue to roll out this new service, future plans for Jobcentre Plus include: seeking to continue to improve the service it provides through more personalised support for the most disadvantaged people in our communities, increasing access to its services through the use of new technology (for its individual customers and employers) and improving the efficiency of the organisation.
Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many organisations took part in the consultation exercise on the proposed Jobcentre Plus roll-out programme in Lanarkshire this year; and how many supported the proposal; [200502]
(2) if he will publish the submissions received in the Lanarkshire Jobcentre Plus roll-out consultation; [200503]
(3) how many clients and client groups of the proposed Lanarkshire Jobcentre Plus roll-out programme were asked to submit their views on the roll-out proposals. [200504]
Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the proposed Jobcentre Plus rollout programme in Lanarkshire. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
It may be helpful if I explain that we will be able to provide you with a summary of the comments received from stakeholders once final decisions on our rollout plans have been announced. Comments we have received in confidence will not be include. I have asked the District Manager for Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, to provide you with this information in due course. We will be unable to put the actual submissions into the public domain because we have not sought prior permission from those responding.
Turning to the question of consultation, the following list provides details of the clients, and client groups that were asked to submit their views. This is an addition to all local MPs, MSPs and Councillors who were consulted about our plans. Four organisations have made representations and, of these, two have already expressed a willingness to support the flexible delivery proposals in their area.
Citizens Advice Bureaux in East Kilbride, Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Hamilton, Motherwell, Cambuslang, Rutherglen
Learning Allowance
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions where he plans to pilot the learning allowance; and if he will make a statement. [205399]
Jane Kennedy: In the pre Budget report we announced our intention to pilot the Learning Allowance from April 2006. The pilot areas will be chosen in due course, taking account of a number of factors, in particular the need to evaluate as rigorously as possible the impact of this new policy in the pilot areas. We will make a further statement when they have been chosen.
New Deal
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals have benefited from the (a) New Deal for Young People, (b) New Deal 25 plus, (c) New Deal 50 plus, (d) New Deal for Disabled People, (e) New Deal for lone parents, (f) New Deal for partners, (g) New Deal: self-employment and (h) New Deal for musicians in (i) Orkney, (ii) Shetland and (iii) the Highlands and Islands. [203564]
Jane Kennedy: Information is not available at Local Authority level for New Deal for Disabled People, New Deal for Partners and New Deal for Musicians. Information on people starting and achieving jobs through the self-employment option of New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus cannot be provided as the small numbers involved could result in the identification of individuals.
The available information is in the table.
Notes:
1. New Deal information is available for the Highlands Local Authority but not 'Highlands and Islands'.
2. All information provided is for Local Authority areas.
3. Data is to June 2004, except New Deal 50 plus which is to March 2003 and relates to New Deal 50 plus Employment Credit starts.
4. Information is not available for New Deal 50 plus at Local Authority level after March 2003.
5. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
20 Dec 2004 : Column 1446W
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds, West have found work through the New Deal for Disabled People in each year since its commencement; [204275]
(2) which groups are contracted to provide the New Deal for disabled people in Leeds; what the performance of each in enabling people to find work since the start of the programme has been; what targets they have to meet; and if he will make a statement. [204278]
Jane Kennedy: New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) contractors are achieving considerable success in helping people on incapacity benefit into work and, collectively, they have helped 190 people into work in the Leeds Jobcentre Plus District since the national roll-out of the programme in July 2001.
The NDDPJob Brokers operating in the Leeds Jobcentre Plus District are: Remploy; Shaw Trust; Action for Employment; Mencap Pathway; and Yes 2 Work. Although they have overall contract requirements that they are expected to meet, these are not broken down by District.
As information is not available broken down by Leeds and Leeds West, information on people helped into work through the New Deal for Disabled People programme in the Jobcentre Plus Leeds District, including people helped through Jobcentre Plus, is in the table.
| July 2001—September 2001 | 0 |
| October 2001—September 2002 | 40 |
| October 2002—September 2003 | 70 |
| October 2003—September 2004 | 120 |
| Total | 240 |
Notes:
1. Data are from July 2001 from national rollout of the programme.
2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and total may not sum due to rounding.
3. Information in the table is for individuals helped into work.
4. Individual Job Broker performance figures are not published as these are commercial in confidence.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
John Thurso:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those leaving the new deal for long-term unemployed aged (a) 25 to 29, (b) 30
20 Dec 2004 : Column 1447W
to 49 and (c) 50+ years found (i) employment and (ii) sustained jobs in each year since 2001; and what proportion of those leaving the new deal for the long-term unemployed in each year since 2001 did so for (1) sustained jobs and (2) jobs lasting fewer than 13 weeks, broken down by region. [202285]
Jane Kennedy: People entering employment through New Deal 25 plus are only classified as leaving the programme to a job when they have entered sustained employment. For the purposes of New Deal 25 plus, a job is regarded as sustained if no new claim is made for Job Seeker's Allowance within 13 weeks of leaving New Deal.
Information on leavers from the programme to sustained employment is in the tables.
Notes:
1. Data are to June 2004.
2. Figures for each year refer to the period January to December, except 2004,
which refers to January to June.
3. Information refers to the percentage of leavers to unsubsidised sustained employment as a proportion of all leavers in the stated categories.
4. The proportions in the table do not take account of all jobs gained through New Deal 25 plus because people can gain a job through New Deal 25 plus but not leave the programme to a job.
5. Percentages are calculated from unrounded figures.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
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