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7 Dec 2009 : Column 174W—continued
Jobcentre Plus: South East Region
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus staff were employed in (a) Sussex and (b) the South East in each of the last 10 years. [301276]
Jim Knight: 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 how many Jobcentre Plus staff were employed in a) Sussex and b) the South East in each of the last 10 years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
I have set out the information you requested in the following table. However, we do not hold figures for Sussex alone. The Jobcentre Plus District for which figures are provided below is Surrey and Sussex. In addition, I am unable to provide information for the period requested. For data capacity reasons the information you seek is only available from 2007.
| South East | Surrey and Sussex | |
| Source: Jobcentre Plus Resource Management System. | ||
Jobseeker's Allowance: Interviews
Steve Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 12 June 2009, Official Report, column 1034W, on Jobcentre Plus: interviews, what data her Department collects on (a) performance at each Jobcentre Plus office and (b) the average length of a jobseeker's interview with a personal adviser (i) for initial assessment, (ii) to make a
jobseeker's agreement, (iii) to sign on and (iv) for other purposes. [302262]
Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers were issued to (a) non-UK EU nationals and (b) non-EU nationals in each of the last 12 quarters for which figures are available. [300391]
Jim Knight: The available information is in the following table.
| National insurance number registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK, last 12 quarters of registration | ||
| EU nationals | Non-EU nationals | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Registration date is derived from the date at which a national insurance number is maintained on the national insurance recording system. 3. World area of origin based on a client's nationality. The mapping for 'world areas' are based on the present day. Bulgaria and Romania are listed as EU accession states for the entire back series. European Union includes the accession states. Source: 100 per cent. extract from national insurance recording system. | ||
New Deal for Young People
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009, Official Report, column 583W, on work experiences: young people, how Jobcentre Plus secures placements on each of the (a) work, (b) voluntary sector and (c) environmental taskforce options for participants in the New Deal for Young People. [302240]
Jim Knight: Jobcentre Plus does not directly secure placements for the New Deal for Young People options. It is the New Deal providers, as part of their contract with Jobcentre Plus, who source and secure suitable placements for all three options according to customer demand.
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009, Official Report, column 583W, on work experience: young people, what steps Jobcentre Plus is taking to monitor the efficacy of each option available under the New Deal for Young People in helping the participant into work. [302247]
Jim Knight: DWP welfare to work providers are required to meet the quality and delivery standards set out in the contract specification for New Deal for Young People , and are subject to contract management and monitoring by DWP.
New Deal Prime Contracts are subject to external inspection by Ofsted in England and Estyn in Wales. This is to provide independent assurance, through the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, that publicly funded provision is delivering a quality experience to our individual customers.
In addition, providers are expected to follow the DWP Quality Framework which promotes the commitment to quality improvement through continuous self-assessment and development planning. Areas for improvement identified through self-assessment and inspection are addressed through the DWP contract management review process.
An external inspection regime will be introduced in Scotland by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) from January 2010.
Social Security Benefits: Drugs
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the number of people on the trial programme to have lost benefit entitlement as a result of testing positive for drugs. [301380]
Jim Knight: The Department for Work and Pensions is not currently running any trial programme in which people have lost, or indeed could lose, benefit entitlement as a result of testing positive for drugs.
Arrangements are included in the Welfare Reform Act November 2009 to enable pilots for problem drug users within the benefit system, to take place from autumn 2010 in Central London, Cumbria and Lancashire, Merseyside, West Yorkshire, Birmingham and Solihull.
These pilots will offer additional support to those problem drug users already in treatment. In return, and in order to receive benefit payments, they will also test an approach in which claimants with a drug dependency that is a barrier to employment, and who are not already receiving drug treatment, will be required to sign up to a rehabilitation plan that will outline how they will engage with the help that is available to them to overcome their addiction. That is to say that doing nothing will no longer be an option for this group.
While these provisions will also allow for people on benefits to be required to take drug tests in certain limited and prescribed circumstances, there will be no loss of entitlement as a result of any positive test.
Unemployment: Young People
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to reduce the level of youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement. [304063]
Jim Knight: We have launched a number of targeted initiatives to tackle youth unemployment.
From next month, the young person's guarantee will ensure all 18 to 24-year-olds on JSA will be guaranteed either the offer of a job, work-focused training or meaningful activity. They will then be required to take up one of these opportunities.
The Future Jobs Fund will create 150,000 jobs. Around 95,000 jobs have already been approved and some have already started.
But the Government can not prevent youth unemployment on our own. That is why we launched backing Young Britain and I am delighted to report that as a result over 330 employers are already pledging new opportunities for young people.
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