HC Deb 25 March 2004 vol 419 cc955-6W
Lady Hermon

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have gained employment as a result of enrolling in the(a) New Deal for 18 to 24-years-olds, (b) New Deal 50 +,(c) New Deal for Disabled People,(d) New Deal for people aged 25 + and (e) New Deal for Lone Parents in each year since their introduction; and what steps he is taking to increase such figures. [161284]

Jane Kennedy

The New Deal programmes are a part of the Government's Welfare to Work Initiative and are aimed at assisting unemployed people from benefit into employment. All New Deal programmes are kept under review and developed to ensure that they meet the needs of their target groups. Independent evaluations are carried out on a regular basis as part of this review process.

The number of people who have gained employment as a result of participating in the New Deals are as follows:

Numbers into sustained employment1,2
New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds New Deal 50+ New Deal for Disabled people New Deal 25+
1998–99 2,165 30 40 307
1999–2000 3,296 30 40 4,114
2000–01 2,398 523 283 2,521
2001–02 2,010 529 177 1,697
2002–03 1,965 483 436 1,751
2003–045 1,455 — 511 1,036
Total number into empolyment—New Deal for Lone parents6
Full-time Part-time
1998–99 543 35
1999–2000 1,213 115
2000–01 1,601 234
Total number into empolyment—New Deal for Lone parents6
Full-time Part-time
2001–02 1,779 221
2002–03 1,967 249
2003–045 1,125 157
1 A participant is considered to have sustained employment if they remain in the same spell of employment for 92 days or more.
2 A participant is only ever counted once as starting employment.
3 New Deal 50+ Was introduced in April 2000.
4 New Deal Disabled people was introduced across Northern Ireland in April 2000.
5 Figures for 2003–04 Will be subject to revision as data on those Who moved into employment towards the end of 2003 and the beginning of 2004 and subsequently sustain that employment becomes available.
6 The Social Security Agency is responsible for the administration of New Deal for Lone parents.

Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of 18 to 24-year-olds in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Foyle constituency entered paid employment within six months of completing New Deal programmes in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [162937]

Jane Kennedy

During the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 the percentage of leavers from the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds entering paid employment within six months of completing the programme was:

  1. (a) 31 per cent. in Northern Ireland; and
  2. (b) 25 per cent. in the Foyle parliamentary constituency.