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9 Jan 2006 : Column 89W—continued
Lone Parents
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the cost of income support for single parents who are now required to work due to the age of their children; and if he will make a statement. [36164]
Mr. Plaskitt: Lone parents are only entitled to receive income support if they are not required to be available for work. Where a lone parent is required to be available for work, they would have to claim jobseeker's allowance while they were seeking work.
New Deal
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measure of sustainability his Department uses for people gaining jobs through (a) new deal for young people, (b) new deal for 25 plus, (c) new deal for partners, (d) new deal for 50 plus, (e) new deal for disabled people, (f) new deal for lone parents and (g) all other welfare to work programmes since 1997; and whether this measure has changed in relation to each scheme. [31088]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 22 November 2005]: Sustainability for jobs gained through the new deal programme is measured in slightly different ways across the new deals. In the case of new deal for young people and new deal 25 plus, employment is regarded as sustained if a person gaining a job through these new deals does not claim jobseeker's allowance for at least 13 weeks after gaining employment. This measure has not changed since the programmes were introduced in 1998.
Since 27 October 2005, employment sustainability for those participating on new deal for lone parents has been measured through the Work and Pensions longitudinal study. If a job gained through the programme lasts at least 13 weeks, it is regarded as sustained. A measure of job sustainability was not available prior to October 2005.
When a person gains a job through a new deal for disabled people (NDDP) job broker and remains in work for 13 weeks out of a 39 weeks period, that employment is regarded as sustained. This measure has not changed since the programme started in 2001.
A measure of job sustainability for new deal 50 plus and new deal for partners is not available.
Employment gained through employment zones, which help people living in areas of persistently high unemployment into work, is defined as sustained if a person gaining a job through the programme does not return to claim jobseeker's allowance for at least 13 weeks. This measure has not changed since the programme was introduced in 2000.
In the case of action teams, which help people in economically deprived areas into work, employment is regarded as sustained if the job lasts continuously for at least 11 weeks during the 13 week period after the person starts work, or if the person has two or more jobs which together add up to a total of at least 11 weeks during the 13 week period after they start work. This measure of sustainability has not changed since the programme was introduced in 2000.
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In April 2004, we introduced working neighbourhoods pilots to help people in deprived areas into work. Employment gained through the programme is regarded as sustained if a person moves off benefit and remains in work for a minimum of 13 weeks. This measure has not changed since the programme was introduced in 2004.
Our ambition programme, which provides unemployed people with the skills and experience to work in specific employment sectors, defines employment as sustained if a person gaining a job through the ambition programmes is still working in that sector 26 weeks after gaining a job. This measure has not changed since ambition started in 2002.
Finally, our progress2work and progress2work linkup programmes, which assist drug and alcohol misusers into work, as well as offenders and homeless people, define employment as sustained if a person, gaining employment through the programmes, does not return to claim jobseeker's allowance within 13 weeks. This measure has not changed since the programmes were introduced in 2002.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions how much has been allocated to the full-time education and training option under the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds in England in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05, (c) 2005–06, (d) 2006–07 and (e) 2007–08. [33358]
Margaret Hodge: The available information is in the table.
| Outturn | |
|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 25 |
| 2004–05 | 32 |
| 2005–06(24) | 31 |
(24)Forecast.
Notes:
1.Allocations for the 2006–07 and 2007–08 financial years are not yet available.
2.Figures exclude administrative expenditure and allowances payments to participants.
3.Figures are rounded to nearest million.
Source:
Jobcentre Plus Financial Strategy Division
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent changes there have been in the contracting process for New Deal services; and if he will make a statement. [36979]
Margaret Hodge: Contracts for New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 Plus are currently being re-tendered. All contracts are procured through open and fair competition in accordance with EU regulations, using the Jobcentre Plus website.
Jobcentre Plus wish to consolidate their contracts to provide larger, more viable and administratively less cumbersome contracts.
The competitive tendering process is now in two stages. The first stage is a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ), whereby providers set out at high level how they propose to meet the requirements.
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Evaluation of the PQQ will then result in a shortlist of providers who will be invited to submit a full tender at the second stage.
Jobcentre Plus will ensure that local, small and specialist providers continue to contribute to their employment programmes. It is therefore encouraging smaller providers to develop relationships with other providers with a view to offering their services either as a consortium or on a sub-contract basis. The contracts will also be agreed in such a way as to protect good small providers or those who specialise in a particular area.
Jobcentre Plus will require all bidders to set out who they will be using to deliver the services. They will also require a signed declaration from sub-contractors confirming that they are content with the prices offered by the main contractor.
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Gravesham constituency who attained sustained employment through a new deal programme have since re-started on a new deal programme. [33633]
Margaret Hodge: Up to the end of May 2005, 1,500 people had gained a sustained job through the new deal programme in Gravesham. Of these, 390 people had returned to a new deal programme to the end of August 2005.
1.Information is not available at constituency level for new deal for disabled people. 2.A measure of job sustainability is not available for new deal 50 plus and new deal for partners. 3.Figures provided are for new deal for young people, new deal 25 plus and new deal for lone parents. Jobs information for these programmes is available to May 2005; starts information is available up to August 2005. 4.For the purposes of new deal for young people and new deal 25 plus, employment is defined as sustained if the person has not returned to claim jobseeker's allowance within 13 weeks of leaving new deal. 5.For the purposes of new deal for lone parents (NDLP), employment is defined as sustained if an NDLP participant has remained in employment for 13 weeks, as measured by the Work and Pensions longitudinal study. 6.Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
DWP Information Directorate
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the use of the voluntary sector in delivering new deal programmes. [38523]
Margaret Hodge: Contracts for new deal for young people and new deal 25 plus are currently being re-tendered. All contracts are procured through open and fair competition in accordance with EU regulations, using the Jobcentre Plus website.
We actively encourage voluntary sector providers to develop relationships with other providers with a view to offering their services, either as a consortium or on a sub-contract basis. We will be working with providers to ensure they understand the need for diversity in delivery, including the use of smaller providers and voluntary sector organisations. We will require all bidders to identify who they will be using to deliver their services,
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and will also require a signed declaration from all sub-contractors confirming they are content with the prices offered by the main contractor.
Jobcentre Plus district managers are also encouraged to work in close partnership with local organisations, making best use of non-contracted provision, often provided through the voluntary sector. For example, with new deal for lone parents, districts have agreements with intermediary organisations within both the voluntary and private sector to refer lone parents for training and other support. We have also procured European Social Fund contracts to provide training and job search support for new deal customers and these have been delivered by voluntary organisations.
We are currently looking at ways in which new deal participants would be able to access non contracted training provision, possibly with the voluntary sector and charitable organisations. This would give participants access to things like childcare and travel costs as well as a training premium of £15 per week for approved training activities.
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