HC Deb 05 November 2003 vol 412 cc672-4W
Mr. Gibb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Employment Service personal advisers have been recruited under the New Deal programme since 1997. [133161]

Malcolm Wicks

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 5 November 2003: As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning how many Employment Service personal advisers have been recruited under the New Deal programme since 1997. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. In line with the Departments policy, Jobcentre Plus recruits people under the Employment Option of the New Deal into the Administrative Assistant or Administrative Officer grades. As Personal Adviser posts are graded at the Executive Officer grade we would not recruit for these posts under the New Deal programme.

However, people on the New Deal caseload can apply for any posts advertised externally by Jobcentre Plus which would include grades at the Executive Officer level. People recruited using this method would not be classed as one of our New Deal employees.I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of the New Deal for Communities since 1998 in(a) St. Helens, South, (b) Merseyside and (c) the north west region on (i) reducing crime, (ii) creating jobs and (iii) raising standards in education. [134616]

Yvette Cooper

I have been asked to reply.

(a) There are no New Deal for Communities (NDC) Partnerships in St. Helens, South.

(b) and (c) There are two NDC Partnerships in Merseyside—Liverpool (Kensington) and Knowsley (North Huyton). There are six partnerships in the north west region. These include the two Merseyside Partnerships and those in Manchester (Beswick and Openshaw), Oldham (Hathershaw and Fitton Hill), Rochdale (Heywood) and Salford (Central).

The NDC programme is scrutinised and reviewed using two, complementary and linked streams of work:

  • a performance management system, which drives annual and mid-year reviews, lead by the Government Offices for the Regions;
  • the NDC National Evaluation, providing external assessment at partnership, programme and theme level, lead by Sheffield Hallam University.

The performance management system was introduced in 2003 and used for the first time for the 2002–03 annual reviews. Partnerships reviewed their own performance and the results that they are starting to achieve.

The evidence provided in these reviews by the NDC Partnerships show that partnerships in the Merseyside and the north west are beginning to make an impact in reducing crime, creating jobs and raising standards in education. For example:

  • In the Kensington area of Liverpool, the rate of all recorded offences has fallen from 185.3 instances per 1,000 population before the NDC, to 148.8 in 2002–03.
  • In Salford, the gap between the proportion of pupils getting five or more GCSEs at grades A to C narrowed from 12 per cent. to 8 per cent. in 2002–03.
  • In east Manchester, the percentage of the working age population who are in employment has risen from 52 per cent. to 65 per cent., which exceeded the city average in 2002–03.

Alongside this evidence from partnerships themselves, data from the national NDC evaluation about the progress NDC Partnerships are making towards achieving their outcome targets is now beginning to come through. An overview of the latest position was recently published in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Research Report 7 "New Deal for Communities: The National Evaluation: Annual Report 2002–03". Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposals he has to(a) continue and (b) develop New Deal for Communities schemes in (i) St. Helens, South, (ii) Merseyside and (iii) the north west region. [134646]

Yvette Cooper

have been asked to reply.

(a) There are currently no New Deal for Communities (NDC) Partnerships in St. Helens, South. There are no plans to develop any NDC Partnerships in the St. Helens south area.

(b) There are two NDC Partnerships in Merseyside—one n Liverpool (Kensington) and one in Knowlsey (north Huyton). These partnerships have both been awarded a grant to spend over a ten year time period, and so the Liverpool Partnership will continue until 2009–10 and the Knowsley Partnership until 2010–11. There are no plans to develop any further NDC Partnership; in Merseyside.

(c) There are six NDC Partnerships in the north west, these include the two mentioned in part (b) of this answer and also partnerships in Oldham (Hathershaw and Fitton Hill), Rochdale (Heywood), east Manchester (Beswick and Openshaw) and Salford (Central). The Manchester Partnership will continue until 2009–10 and the Oldham, Rochdale and Salford Partnerships until 2010–11. There are no plans to develop any further NDC Partnership; in the north west.

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