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10 Mar 2009 : Column 270W—continued
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's projections are of jobseeker's allowance out-flows (a) in total and (b) directly into employment in each month of each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [244142]
Mr. McNulty: The available information is in the table. The Department does not make a planning assumption for the number of off-flows directly entering employment.
The figures are a planning assumption only, consistent with the HM Treasury unemployment assumption, and do not represent an official departmental forecast of exits from jobseeker’s allowance.
| Planning assumption for outflows from jobseeker’s allowance, based on HM Treasury unemployment assumption for pre-Budget report 2008 | |
| Total jobseeker’s allowance outflows | |
| Notes: 1. These outflows are the planning assumption which is consistent with the Treasury unemployment assumption. As such they do not represent an official forecast of outflows from jobseeker’s allowance. 2. Figures given as financial year totals, as the claimant count assumption quoted in the pre-Budget report is also on this basis. They are the sum of inflows from April to March, that is, the figure labelled 2008-09 represents the total inflows from April 2008 to March 2009. 3. The figures are based on the assumption that over the next few years jobseeker’s allowance claimants will flow off benefit at a lower rate than today. 4. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand (and therefore are rounded to zero if less than five hundred). 5. All figures relate to claimants in Great Britain. | |
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce measures to ensure that Jobcentre Plus offices assist jobseeker's allowance claimants in contacting other agencies for advice and support on debt and financial management; and if he will make a statement. [260720]
Mr. McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking if he will introduce measures to ensure that Jobcentre Plus offices assist Jobseeker's Allowance claimants in contacting other agencies for advice and support on debt and financial management; and if he will make a statement. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Signposting customers to appropriate agencies for advice and support on debt and financial management has long been part of the services provided by Jobcentre Plus personal advisers. To help our advisers with this, we have a comprehensive programme of blended learning designed to equip them with the range of knowledge and skills required to support all customers. This learning provides the adviser with the key skills needed to undertake effective work-focused interviews, identify barriers that may be making it harder for customers to find work and, where appropriate, signpost customers to relevant sources of help.
More specifically, the “Introduction to Customer Groups” learning and development module provides guidance on how to help customers with debt problems. This module is currently being updated to strengthen and reinforce the help that is available to customers from Third Sector Organisations, and is included in a range of learning routeways to ensure personal advisers and other staff are able to signpost customers to an appropriate source of help.
It is also worth mentioning that as part of a national partnership agreement, customers with debt problems are often referred to their local Citizens Advice Bureau, which is well equipped to offer advice and guidance.
I hope this information is helpful and assures you of our intent to work effectively with a range of partner organisations to make sure customers receive the best possible service.
Jobseeker’s Allowance: North West
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker’s allowance claimants there were in (a) the North West, (b) Stockport local authority area and (c) Cheadle constituency in each month since January 2007. [261461]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 6 March 2009]: The information is in the following table.
| Jobseeker’s allowance claimants in north-west Government office region (GOR), Stockport local authority and Cheadle parliamentary constituency: January 2007 to January 2009 | |||
| North-west GOR | Stockport local authority area | Cheadle parliamentary constituency | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are unrounded. 2. Figures include clerically held cases. Source: 100 per cent. count of claimants of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (including clerically held cases). | |||
Mortgages: Government Assistance
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many applications for mortgage relief schemes have been (a) received, (b) successfully processed to the point of completion and (c) granted in the last 12 months; [258772]
(2) how many applications for mortgage relief have been (a) received, (b) processed to the point of completion and (c) granted in the last 12 months. [259012]
Mr. McNulty [holding answe rs 4 and 6 March 2009]: Claims for mortgage relief can be made with jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, income support and pension credit.
Information about applications for mortgage relief with pension credit could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The available information about claims for mortgage relief with jobseeker’s allowance and income support is in the following table. The Department for Work and Pensions will be publishing National Statistics on employment and support allowance in summer 2009.
| Mortgage interest claims, year ending January 2009 | |
| Number | |
| Source: Jobcentre Plus Management Information. | |
New Deal Schemes
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what progress has been made on his plans for the implementation of the flexible New Deal; [255122]
(2) whether the contracting process for the flexible New Deal has proceeded in accordance with the originally planned timetable; [255123]
(3) when the contracts will be announced for phase 1 of the flexible New Deal. [255124]
Mr. McNulty: The competition for contracts to deliver flexible new deal is under way. 124 bids were submitted and these are being evaluated.
We have notified providers of a short pause in the competition to enable us to jointly consider the impact and options to address the financial challenges in the initial phase of the contract.
The Department will retain a performance and payment regime based on outcomes, providing shortlisted bidders with the opportunity to develop innovative individually tailored solutions. Our expectation is to have a funding model based on 80 per cent. (outcome) and 20 per cent. (fee based) as originally tabled. However, in the initial phase of the contract (first 18 months), the Department will consider alternative models based on a higher service fee element.
We expect to notify bidders of results during April and contracts to be awarded by the end of May 2009.
The Government remain committed to bringing in the flexible new deal phase 1 from October 2009.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether any changes have been made to the original performance and funding expectations of the flexible New Deal; [255184]
(2) when phase one of the flexible new deal is planned to commence; [255185]
(3) on what date (a) the preferred bidders for the flexible New Deal phase 1 will be announced and (b) will the contract be awarded. [255186]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 9 February 2009]: The competition for contracts to deliver flexible new deal is under way. 124 bids were submitted and these are being evaluated.
We have notified providers of a short pause in the competition to enable us to jointly consider the impact and options to address the financial challenges in the initial phase of the contract.
The Department will retain a performance and payment regime based on outcomes, providing shortlisted bidders with the opportunity to develop innovative individually tailored solutions. Our expectation is to have a funding model based on 80 per cent. (outcome) and 20 per cent.
(fee based) as originally tabled. However, in the initial phase of the contract (first 18-months), the Department will consider alternative models based on a higher service fee element.
We expect to notify bidders of results during April and contracts to be awarded by the end of May 2009.
The Government remains committed to bringing in the flexible new deal phase 1 from October 2009.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what deadline he has set for private sector provider bidders for the Flexible New Deal to revisit the assumptions made in their original bids, based on the revised estimate of the number of long-term unemployed. [260861]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 5 March 2009]: Bidders should complete the revised financial schedules and provide a revised performance offer and supporting information in the form of a revised Part Six of the Invitation to Tender form. These revised documents must have been submitted by midday on Wednesday 4th March 2009.
The request for additional information will result in a change to our published timetable; we now expect to notify bidders of results during April and award contracts by the end of May 2009. We still aim to begin delivery from October although we recognise the challenge this would present to some bidders. When submitting the additional information, bidders have been asked to indicate whether these revised timings are likely to impact on their ability to begin delivery from October 2009.
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