HC Deb 02 February 1998 vol 305 cc530-1W
Mr. Brady

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer of 21 January 1998,Official Report, column 1001, by what date the Minister expects welfare savings resulting from the New Deal in Wales to exceed the cost of the New Deal programme in Wales. [25787]

Mr. Hain

The New Deal for 18–24 year olds started this month in Swansea and West Wales and will be extended from April to the rest of Wales. We expect the New Deal to make a real difference in improving the employability of our young people and helping them to move from unemployment into work. The impact of the New Deal and our other welfare policies will be carefully evaluated and the question of benefit savings will be considered as part of this.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much new deal money is allocated for Alyn and Deeside; if he will make a statement. [26153]

Mr. Hain

The level of funding to be made available to the Employment Service District of North East Wales, which covers Alyn and Deeside, will depend on the take up; it is not possible to be more precise at this stage.

The New Deal will help young and long term unemployed people to secure sustainable employment. We want to give people the self-respect that comes from working and we want to give the Welsh economy the talent and skills that it needs to compete now and into the next century. Through the New Deal and our other Welfare to Work policies we will attack unemployment and the despair that it brings and help people to escape from poverty and welfare dependency.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many New Deal places he proposes for Alyn and Deeside. [26152]

Mr. Hain

The latest forecast by the Employment Service suggests that some 400–500 placements will be required in the Local Authority area of Flintshire, which covers the Parliamentary Constituency of Alyn and Deeside, for New Deal clients aged 18–24 in the year April 1998 to March 1999.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the principal objective of the New Deal is. [26154]

Mr. Hain

The principle objectives of the New Deal are to help young and long term unemployed people into work and to enhance their employability.