HC Deb 16 May 2000 vol 350 cc102-3W
Ms Ward

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the locations of the pilot projects for the Connexions Service; and if he will make a statement. [120848]

Mr. Wicks

I am pleased to announce the extension of the Connexions Service pilots. New pilots are to be established in Durham, Hertfordshire, Central London, Oldham, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, and at the Huntercombe Young Offenders Institution in Oxfordshire. These are additional to the pilots announced by the Secretary of State on 3 February.

Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 19 April 2000,Official Report, column 563W, on Connexions, how many persons are employed in the National Unit of the Connexions Service in (a) London, (b) Sheffield and (c) elsewhere; how many of them are from (i) Government Departments, (ii) youth and voluntary work and (iii) the private sector; and what is the timetable for employing more persons in the National Unit. [122473]

Mr. Wicks

The structure of the Connexions National Unit will be for the new Chief Executive to determine. We expect a new Chief Executive to take up post and make decisions on the staffing complement of the National Unit by late summer.