§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many New Deal places have been offered by the United Kingdom hospitality industry; and how many have been taken up. [68862]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Foster to Mr. Peter Ainsworth, dated 2 February 1999:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked Leigh Lewis to reply direct to your question regarding the number of New Deal places offered by the United Kingdom hospitality industry; and how many have been taken up. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am replying in his absence.Up to the end of December some 57,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 had entered jobs after having started the New Deal. Of these the available data indicates that around 8 per cent. had entered jobs in the hospitality sector. No similar information is available specifically in respect of job offers or, as yet in relation to entrants to job under the New Deal for those aged over 25 and for lone parents.I hope this is helpful.