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Ministerial Visits

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many visits abroad Ministers in his Department have made in relation to policy on child care for working parents since 2001. [45192]

 
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Margaret Hodge: Since 1999, the Government have published annually information relating to Cabinet Ministers' visits overseas costing more than £500. Copies of the published lists for the years 2001 to 31 March 2005 are available in the Libraries of the House. The detailed information the hon. Member has requested in respect of other Ministers is not collected centrally and to collect it would involve incurring disproportionate cost.

Ministerial travel is conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

New Deal

Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Beverley and Holderness who attained employment through a new deal programme have since restarted on a new deal programme. [44314]

Margaret Hodge: Of the 2,160 people who have been helped into work through the new deal in the Beverley and Holderness constituency, 420 have since restarted on a new deal programme.

Some people will become unemployed again after leaving the new deal. This is inevitable in a dynamic labour market, but the evidence shows that new deal helps people stay in work longer than those in the general labour market. After finding a job through new deal individuals will also have added to their skills and experience, making it easier for them to find a job in the future.

Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham who attained sustained employment through a new deal programme in the last three years have since restarted on a new deal programme. [45263]

Margaret Hodge: In the three years to August 2005, 1,180 people gained sustained employment through new deal for young people, new deal 25 plus and new deal for lone parents in the constituency of Hammersmith and Fulham. In the three year period to November 2005, 140 people had restarted on a new deal programme in the
 
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constituency of Hammersmith and Fulham. Those restarting on a new deal programme may have joined a different new deal programme from the one they were on before.

A sustainability measure is not available for new deal 50 plus and new deal for partners. Information is not available at constituency level for new deal for disabled people.

Information is not collected at borough level.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of (a) men and (b) women, aged (i) 50 to 54, (ii) 55 to 59 and (iii) 60 to 64 years have taken part in (A) new deal 50-plus on a voluntary basis and (B) new deal 25-plus on a compulsory basis; and which options they took. [40482]

Margaret Hodge: New deal 25-plus is a mandatory programme designed to help long term unemployed people back into work. It is aimed at people aged 25 and over who have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for 18 out of the last 21 months. This includes those aged 50 and over who have not previously participated in new deal 25-plus.

Unemployed or economically inactive people aged 50 or over and who have been claiming benefits for 6 months or more can also volunteer to join the new deal 50-plus.

The available information is in the tables.
New deal 50-plus

	Male		Female
Age group	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
50 to 54	20,320	56	16,090	44
55 to 59	14,350	69	6,800	31
60 to 64	2,520	97	90	3

Notes:
1. Information on participants on new deal 50-plus is only available from January 2004.
2. Figures are cumulative to August 2005.
3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, and percentages are calculated on unrounded figures.
Source:
Information Directorate, DWP

New deal 25-plus

	Male		Female
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
People aged 50 to 54
Compulsory starts	49,590	77	14,560	23
Of which started:
The enhanced new deal 25-plus programme	20,600	74	7,060	26
Of which started:
Employment option	540	79	140	21
Basic educational training/basic skills	550	76	180	24
Self-employment	450	82	100	18
Education/training opportunity	130	78	40	22
Work experience/placement	770	79	200	21
Intensive activity Period training	830	76	260	24
Other	30	71	10	29
People aged 55 to 60
Compulsory starts	44,260	76	13,920	24
Of which started
The enhanced new deal 25-plus programme	18,150	73	6,880	27
Of which started:
Employment option	390	75	130	25
Basic educational training/basic skills	340	76	110	24
Self-employment	300	85	50	15
Education/training opportunity	80	82	20	18
Work experience/placement	460	77	140	23
Intensive activity period training	450	80	110	20
Other	30	76	10	24
People aged 60 to 64
Compulsory starts	2,650	97	90	3
Of which started
The enhanced new deal 25-plus programme	1,520	98	30	2
Of which started:
Employment option	10	100	0	0
Basic educational training/basic skills	0	100	0	0
Self-employment	10	100	0	0
Education/training opportunity	0	—	0	—
Work experience/placement	10	100	0	0
Intensive activity period training	20	100	0	0
Other	0	—	0	—

Notes:
Consists of people who, when starting the programme, had been claiming jobseeker's allowance for 18 out of the previous 21 months, and who had not previously participated on new deal 25-plus whilst aged 50 and over.
Information on participants on the options stage of new deal 25-plus is available only for participants of the post-April 2001 enhanced programme.
Participation on the options stage of new deal 25-plus is voluntary for people aged 50 and over, unless they live in an area which is piloting mandatory participation in this stage for people aged 50 and over.
Starts to options relate to a person's first start to an option during an individual spell on new deal. A person may start more than one option during an individual spell on new deal 25-plus.
Figures are cumulative to August 2005.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, and percentages are calculated on unrounded figures.
Source:
Information Directorate DWP



 
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Post Office Network

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what public services which are provided by his Department are made available by the post office network. [46059]

Mr. Plaskitt: A number of services relating to the payment of benefits and pensions are made available through the post office network.

Customers who receive their payments by direct payment into a post office card account collect their money from post offices and many customers who have their payments made into a bank or building society account can also use the post office network to access their money.

Customers who cannot be paid by direct payment are paid by cheque. Through the Department's relationship with the Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank Plc, cheque payments with a value of less than £450.00 can be cashed at post office branches. The Department also has a contract with Post Office Ltd to ensure that customers can continue to receive cheque payments in the event of disruption to normal delivery services.
 
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Social Fund Community Care Grant Schemes

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to make an announcement on the level of funding available for the Social Fund Community Care Grant scheme in 2006–07. [47181]

Mr. Plaskitt: We will make an announcement, by way of a written statement to the House, towards the end of March on the level of funding available for the Social Fund Community Care Grant scheme in 2006–07.

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