§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money is being made available in the 12 months from 1 December for lone parents with children of school age receiving income support in Oxfordshire. [63648]
§ Mr. Andrew Smith[holding answer 14 December 1998]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
668WLetter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Shaun Woodward, dated 1998:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning how much money is being made available in the 12 months from 1 December for lone parents with children of school age receiving income support in the Oxfordshire area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.The New Deal for Lone Parents programme is aimed at those lone parents on Income Support whose children are of school age although it is also available to lone parents with younger children. A total of £2.34m for the programme has been allocated to the Employment Service London and South East Region, which includes Oxfordshire, for the period from December 1998 to March 1999. This figure includes all programme and running costs but does not include funding for in-work and lone parent benefits.Unfortunately, separate figures for individual areas are not available. Funding allocations for 1999–2000 have not yet been agreed.I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful.
§ Mr. HealeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if the training undertaken by the advisers for the New Deal for Lone Parents is accredited towards a national vocational qualification; [63994]
(2) what proportion of the advisers for the New Deal for Lone Parents have been recruited from (a) the Benefits Agency, (b) the Employment Service, (c) the Child Support Agency and (d) other backgrounds. [63995]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. 1 have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. John Healey, dated 1998:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions regarding whether the training undertaken by the advisers for the New Deal for Lone Parents is accredited towards a national vocational qualification and what proportion of the advisers for New Deal for Lone Parents have been recruited from (a) the Benefits Agency, (b) the Employment Service, (c) the Child Support Agency and (d) other backgrounds. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.Highly skilled personal advisers are a crucial element in the success of New Deal for Lone Parents. Personal advisers were recruited on the basis that they would receive extensive training to cover all aspects of their job and would work towards an NVQ level 3 in Guidance. A number of the training modules New Deal Lone Parent advisers complete will contribute to their work towards the NVQ level 3 in Guidance.As of 30 October approximately 88% of Lone Parent advisers have been recruited from the Employment Service, 5% from the Benefits Agency and 7% from the Child Support Agency.I hope this is helpful.