§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people he estimates will benefit from his welfare to work proposals in the constituency of Wirral South; and on what time scale. [1563]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthCurrently there are just under 500 people between the ages of 18 and 24 who are claiming JSA in the Wirral South constituency, around half of whom have been out of work for more than 6 months. These young people, if they are still unemployed when our New Deal plans are implemented, will be offered opportunities to participate in a job, training or useful work experience.
The Government's commitment is to get 250,000 young people off benefits and into work. Work to take forward our Welfare to Work provisions started within days of the election, and they will be implemented as soon as possible.