§ Mrs. HumbleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the national launch of the New Deal for Partners of Unemployed People. [82543]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithThe New Deal for Partners of Unemployed People was launched today. It offers partners of people who have been receiving Jobseekers' Allowance for six months or more, the opportunity, on a voluntary basis, to receive guidance and advice on job search and training from specialist Employment Service Personal Advisers.
The national programme will build on the experience gained by pathfinder districts—Cardiff, Leeds and Tayside—which started on 8 February.