HC Deb 03 February 1999 vol 324 cc661-2W
Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many persons aged 18 to 24 years have started the New Deal since its inception; [66964]

(2) how many persons aged 18 to 24 years have (a) been invited to join the New Deal and (b) failed to keep their appointments following such an invitation; [66965]

(3) how many persons aged 18 to 24 years who started the New Deal subsequently (a) dropped out and (b) failed to complete the arrangements for any other reasons; [66966]

(4) how many entrants to the New Deal have completed the arrangements and been placed in (a) subsidised employment, (b) training, (c) the environmental task force and (d) the voluntary sector; [66967]

(5) how many offenders who are subject to supervision by the Probation Service have (a) commenced the New Deal and (b) completed the arrangements. [66968]

Mr. Andrew Smith

Responsibility 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 Leigh Lewis to Mr. James Clappison, dated 1 February 1999: As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply direct to your questions regarding the progress of New Deal for young people aged 18 to 24. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. The latest Government Statistical Service (GSS) figures to the end of November 1998 and provisional Management Information to the end of December 1998 showed that over 213,320 young people had started the New Deal for 18 to 24 year olds. This includes those invited to join New Deal but who ceased to claim Jobseeker's Allowance before their first New Deal interview. Of the total, 13,660 had entered the Employment option; 27,070 and entered Full-Time Education and Training; 7,130 had joined the Environment Task Force; and 7,660 had joined the Voluntary Sector option. Based on the Government Statistical Service figures, of the young people who had left New Deal by the end of November, 40,660 had moved into unsubsidised jobs; 10,050 had left to claim other benefits, 7,450 had left Jobseeker's Allowance to other known destinations and 22,760 to unknown destinations. You have also requested details on ex-offenders as a specific group of people. I should explain that offenders, ex-offenders and those on probation do not have to declare their status to the Employment Service except when requesting early entry onto an employment programme, including New Deal. The latest GSS figures to the end of November 1998 show that 3,505 young people in these categories had requested early entry to New Deal. At present we do not separately monitor this group of entrants by outcome. Of the 203,100 young people who had started New Deal by the end of November 14,170 signed off Jobseeker's Allowance before attending their initial appointment. I hope this is helpful.