Action Team for Jobs

HC Deb 01 July 2002 vol 388 cc81-2W

17. Jeff Ennis

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact the action team for jobs initiative is having in severely economically deprived areas. [63402

Mr. Nicholas Brown

Action teams are having a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged people in the most economically deprived areas of the country. By the end of May they had helped over 34,000 people move into work. An early evaluation study also found that 80 per cent. of these jobs were sustained jobs.

The team working in my hon. Friend's constituency has helped over 320 jobless people into work since October 2001 and, last year, contributed £100,000 towards a new child care unit in the area.