§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to take people off benefit and into(a) work and (b) training; and what will be the role of further education colleges in such plans. [1258]
§ Mr. HainI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21 May 1997,Official Report, column 75. The Government's Welfare to Work programme for unemployed young people "the New Deal" will have four options. Three of these: working with employers, voluntary organisations and the environmental task force, will involve accredited training for a day a week. The training could include college based courses and on the job training. The fourth option is full time study towards an approved qualification. I would expect Further Education Colleges to make a significant contribution to the success of the programme.