§ 12. Mr. ThomasonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the Australian JET—jobs education and training—scheme in respect of helping lone parents out of dependency. [36967]
§ Mr. Andrew MitchellI have examined the Australian JET scheme. We shall be basing our scheme—to be piloted from next April—on more successful models.
§ Mr. ThomasonCan my hon. Friend confirm that the JET scheme is inefficient and costly, but it is close to the heart of the Opposition? Perhaps it is an example of yet another new danger. Has my hon. Friend looked at other schemes in other parts of the world?
§ Mr. MitchellYes. The Opposition have backed the wrong horse. In their lust for glib soundbites, they overlooked the detail. The Australian JET scheme overstates savings and understates the costs involved. They should look to the GAIN—greater avenues for independence—scheme in California if they want the taxpayer to save money through a scheme that is effective in getting people back to work. From next April, the Government will be piloting a state of the art scheme that will have learnt from other schemes around the world and will be successful and effective in helping lone parents back to work.