§ Mr. HealeyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people his Department is committed to 653W employing during 1998 under (a) the subsidised job option and (b) the unsubsidised job option of the New Deal programme. [52591]
§ Ms HewittAs a major UK employer, Government departments are being actively encouraged to consider the important supply of potential new recruits that New Deal can offer. So far as the Chancellor's main departments are concerned, the Inland Revenue will have a programme in place this autumn under which it hopes to employ over 100 people in subsidised jobs in the first full year, more if there are people who fit the department's needs. About 30 people will be in post by the end of December. Customs and Excise expect to recruit up to 6 people into unsubsidised jobs over the next year. HM Treasury, though not undertaking much recruitment at the moment, will recruit at least one person from the New Deal Gateway into an unsubsidised job, before the end of the year. Of the Chancellor's smaller departments, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) hopes to recruit up to 11 staff in subsidised jobs.