HC Deb 25 June 1999 vol 333 cc467-8W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will provide a breakdown of the percentage of participants in each of the New Deal for Young People options who have left for unsubsidised employment up to the most recent date for which information is available; and what assessment he has made of the performance against Government targets on improving employability through undertaking New Deal options. [87179]

Mr. Andrew Smith

The latest Government Statistical Service figures to the end of April 1999 show that 23,900 young people have left one of the New Deal options. Of these 8,860 (37 per cent.) are known to have found sustained unsubsidised employment. This breaks down to 56 per cent. of young people leaving the Employer option, 35 per cent. from the FTET option, 41 per cent. from the Voluntary Sector option and 35 per cent. from the Environment Task Force.

These figures under-estimate the true proportion of young people finding work because many of the clients recorded as having "unknown destinations" will, in fact, have found work although they have not notified the Employment Service.

A recent large scale quantitative survey of young people who left the New Deal for unknown destinations showed that at least 43 per cent. have moved into work.

A quantitative survey of individual participants was launched earlier this year which will assess improvements in employability. Initial results from this survey are expected in September 1999.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate how many participants in(a) the New Deal for Young People and (b) the New Deal for over 25s have left the New Deal to be transferred from unemployment benefits to incapacity benefit in the categories of those leaving for (i) other known destinations, (ii) unknown destinations and (iii) transfers to other benefits. [87177]

Mr. Andrew Smith

People who leave New Deal to transfer to Incapacity Benefit are recorded as "transfers to other benefits" in the published statistics as it is not currently possible to break the statistics down to specific types of benefit. The latest Government Statistical Service figures to the end of April 1999 show that 19,170 young people had left New Deal to transfer to other benefits and 7,100 clients left the New Deal for long term unemployed people aged 25 and over for other benefits.

A quantitative survey of individual participants was launched earlier this year which will assess movements into other benefits. Initial results from this survey are expected in September 1999.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the proportion of those individuals leaving the New Deal for Young People for unknown destinations who have left to work in the black economy. [87178]

Mr. Andrew Smith

It is difficult to make any reliable estimate of the number of young people who have left New Deal for unknown destinations who have left to work in the "black economy". People who were working and claiming benefit until caught out by the New Deal are unlikely to declare that when they cease claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. Anyone who attempts to reclaim Jobseeker's Allowance within 13 weeks of leaving New Deal will automatically re-enter the New Deal at the point which they left. That reduces significantly the risk of young people working and claiming benefits.