§ Mr. BradshawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) unemployed people aged under 26 years and (b) unemployed people out of work for over six months will be eligible for assistance under the New Deal in Exeter. [27657]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithIt is not possible to provide precise estimates of the numbers of young people aged 18–24 or the numbers of long-term unemployed people aged 25 and over who will benefit from our New Deal programmes for these groups.
In January 1998, some 118,000 18–24 year olds were recorded as having claimed Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for six months or more; each month about 15,000 to 20,000 18–24 year olds reach six months' claimant unemployment. In the same month, some 216,000 people aged 25 or over were recorded as having claimed JSA for more than two years; each month between 5,000 and 10,000 people who are 25 or over reach two years' claimant unemployment. It is not possible to provide fully comparable figures for Exeter. In January 1998 in Exeter, 185 18–24 year olds were recorded as having claimed JSA for six months or more, and 391 people aged 25 or over were recorded as having claimed JSA for more than two years.
I will shortly be placing in the Library a list showing the indicative planning assumption for participation in the New Deal for 18–24 year olds in 1998–99 in each local 293W unit of delivery. These planning assumptions are based on current unemployment levels. They are not forecasts of the actual numbers who will participate in the New Deal for 18–24 year olds. We have yet to finalise planning assumptions for participation in the New Deal for long-term unemployed people aged 25 or over.