§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to improve the performance of the new deal for young people in helping participants from non-white ethnic minority groups to obtain sustained jobs. [25985]
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§ Mr. Nicholas BrownNew deal is pro-active in the promotion of equality of opportunity and outcome for people of all ethnic groups. In November 1998, we published a Strategy for Engaging Ethnic Minorities which looked at ways to identify and overcome the barriers to ethnic minority young people, providers and businesses participating in new deal. Action plans supporting the strategy are reviewed every six months.
The National Employment Panel's Minority Ethnic Advisory Group (MEAG) advises the Department for Work and Pensions on increasing the effectiveness of the new deal for ethnic minority clients. Additionally we work with groups such as the Black Training and Enterprise Group, the Commission for Racial Equality and local Racial Equality Councils in developing tools to assist staff in engaging with ethnic minority clients.
We are investing £15 million in new outreach services for people from ethnic minorities in some of the country's most deprived urban areas. The outreach service, to be launched in April, will explore different ways jobless people from ethnic minority communities can be helped through the new deal or specialist training.