§ 38. Mr. BryantTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of employment zones in reducing unemployment. [19179]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownEmployment zones are one of a range of initiatives we have introduced to help long-term unemployed people move into work. The performance of the 15 employment zones is encouraging. Early indications are that almost half of participants find work. We are currently evaluating the zones before deciding how to take the initiative further.