§ 10. Mr. John Healey (Wentworth)What steps his Department is taking (a) to recruit young unemployed people under the new deal and (b) to encourage agencies for which the Department is responsible and suppliers to the Department to do the same. [53517]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. George Howarth)The Home Office formally signed up to the new deal programme on 18 September and, with its agencies, is actively seeking to employ new deal participants. We cannot answer for the employment practices of independent suppliers, but we hope that, like other employers, they will participate in the new deal.
The Secretary of State, ministerial colleagues and I stand ready to take on new deal applicants in our private offices. We hope that that sends out a strong signal to other parts of the Home Office and its agencies.
§ Mr. HealeyThe formal new deal commitment is encouraging, as is the advertising of specific vacancies on the Floor of the House. I look forward to the near future when the Department will take on new deal recruits. Does my hon. Friend agree that the opportunity to work can be crucial in helping youngsters to break out of a life of crime? What steps is the Department taking to ensure that such young people have access to the new deal?
§ Mr. HowarthI thank my hon. Friend for the first part of his question, and agree entirely with the point that he makes in the second part. The probation service, the Prison Service and others are well linked into the new deal. If young people are to avoid a life of crime, it is important that they have gainful employment, 13 proper training and access to proper education. That is an integral part of our strategy for dealing with young offenders and those who may become young offenders. It is vital that we all accept the importance of that.
§ Mr. Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley)Will the Minister do all that he can to encourage young unemployed people not only to go through the new deal, perhaps into the police force—I should be interested in what he has to say about any applications—but to go into the specials? He will know of the tremendous contribution that the specials make towards our police force throughout the country. Will he encourage young unemployed people to offer the spare time that they obviously have, to give back their commitment and contribution to society through the specials? They might also gain some of the training and sense of civic responsibility which would help them to get into full-time employment elsewhere.
§ Mr. HowarthI thank the hon. Gentleman for that constructive question. In respect of the police and the fire service, consideration has been given to whether the special constables and retained firefighters could be a route by which the new deal could travel. Discussions are on-going. The hon. Gentleman's point is well made, and I shall consider it further.