New Deal (Hansard, 18 July 2002)

§ Mr. Nicholas Brown

Information on the number of New Deal participants undertaking specific training courses and qualifications is not available.

The Government offer financial assistance for merchant navy training through the Support for Maritime Training scheme (SMarT). The scheme, which is administered by 512W the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, offers substantial financial support to eligible training providers offering to provide approved training, which includes training for maritime competence certificates. In the financial year 2001–02 the overall budget for this support was £7.4 million. Funding is based on an average of course costs at the main maritime colleges. In broad terms this means that 50 per cent. of eligible costs are covered for each participant's course. If maritime competence training is identified as a need for a New Deal participant, their New Deal personal adviser can refer them to a training provider supported by SMarT if appropriate.

There is other provision available as well as the SMarT scheme. For example, if a New Deal participant identifies training that they wish to undertake which has not already been contracted for locally, the Jobcentre Plus district is able to buy in one-off provision (assuming that certain eligibility conditions are met and the participant's personal adviser believes that it is an appropriate type of provision for the participant to undertake).

In addition, the Adviser Discretion Fund gives New Deal personal advisers direct access to money to help people quickly into jobs. Advisers can spend up to £300 on anything that will help a jobseeker obtain a job or, if offered a job. to accept that offer. New Deal participants may be able to access this fund to upgrade their maritime competence certificates, with the agreement of their personal adviser.