§ Mr. SavidgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many initial letters inviting lone parents to participate in the New Deal for Lone Parents have been issued; how many initial interviews have been (i) booked; and (ii) carried out; how many lone parents have agreed to participate; and how many lone parents participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents have found jobs. [63091]
§ Angela EagleThe New Deal for Lone Parents started running in Phase 1 in eight lead areas of the country in July 1997. A national service became available to all lone parents making a new claim for Income Support in Phase 2 in April 1998, and to all lone parents receiving Income Support in Phase 3 in October 1998.
Using the latest information from July 1997 to 23 October 1998 which covers the period to the end of Phase 2 of the New Deal for Lone Parents, the number of letters issued is 50,612; the number of initial interviews booked is 30,826; the number of initial interviews carried out is 23,300; the number of agreements to participate is 20,191, which equates to 87 per cent. of lone parents who attend an initial interview agreeing to take part in the New Deal for Lone Parents; and a total of 5,429 lone parents participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents have found jobs, which is 27 per cent. of those joining the programme.
10WThe prototype Phase 1 of the New Deal for Lone Parents is undergoing independent evaluation. The final report comparing the outcomes for lone parents in the eight New Deal for Lone Parents prototype areas will be published in autumn 1999.
§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each employment service region, how many lone parents there are(a) in total, (b) with children under five years of age and (c) with children over five years of age. [61964]
§ Angela Eagle[holding answer 1 December 1998]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
Lone parents in employment by Government Office Region, spring 1997 Government Office Region Lone parents in employment Great Britain 675,000 North East 30,000 North West 100,000 Yorkshire & Humberside 65,000 East Midlands 50,000 West Midlands 60,000 Eastern 60,000 London 80,000 South East 85,000 South West 45,000 Wales 40,000 Scotland 55,000 Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
2. It is not possible to disaggregate the regional figures by age of youngest child because this will generate caseloads of below 10,000 for some regions. Caseloads below this size are based on samples which are too small to be statistically reliable.
3. The table includes all lone parents in paid employment, self-employment and on government training schemes.
4. Lone parents defined as single people with at least one dependent child. This figure will include a small number of disabled and pensioner lone parents.
Source:
Spring 1997 Labour Force Survey using household adjusted weighting factors.
Lone parents on Income Support by Government Office Region, by age of the youngest child, May 1998 Thousand Youngest child aged Region All cases Under 5 5 or over Great Britain 961 480 482 North East 50 25 25 North West 138 70 69 Yorks & Humberside 83 43 40 East Midlands 58 30 29 West Midlands 86 44 42 Eastern 69 33 36 London 179 87 92 South East 93 46 47 South West 62 30 32 Wales 52 27 25 Scotland 90 44 45 Notes:
1. Lone parents are defined as single people with dependants who do not receive a disability or pensioner premium.
2. Figures are based on the age of the youngest child.
3. The table is based on a 5 per cent. sample.
4. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and therefore may not sum.
Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1998.