§ Laura MoffattTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements are offered to young people on disability benefits who wish to join the New Deal and who are recovering from drug and alcohol misuse. [108606]
§ Ms HodgeYoung people on incapacity benefits are not eligible for New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds which is designed for jobseekers actively looking for work. However, we are developing initiatives to ensure that all disabled people who want to work are given the help they need. For example, the New Deal for Disabled People offers personal adviser support in 12 pilot areas to people 87W of all ages on incapacity benefits. The personal adviser offers an individually designed programme to tackle the specific needs of each client, including any who may need to overcome drug or alcohol misuse. We hope to make an early announcement about the next stage of the New Deal for Disabled People taking account of emerging findings from the pilots.