§ Mr. LilleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the parent-plus pilot schemes to help lone parents obtain work have been cancelled. [10306]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe Government launched their new deal for lone parents on 21 July. This will provide help with moving into work, for initially up to 40,000 lone parents in England, Scotland and Wales. From October 1998, help will be offered to half a million lone parents whose youngest child is over five.
The Budget included £200 million over the life of this Parliament to fund the new deal for lone parents and improvements in help with child care costs. We will not therefore be proceeding with parent-plus.