HC Deb 24 June 1998 vol 314 cc551-2W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her answer of 21 April 1998,Official Report, columns 604–45, if she will update her answer as regards how many lone parents who gained employment are now in receipt of income support and have no earnings, and include those who gained employment in the period (a) 1 March to 31 March and (b) 1 April to 30 April. [45191]

Mr. Keith Bradley

[holding answer 15 June 1998]: The number of lone parents who obtained employment between the following dates, and who are now in receipt of Income Support and have no earnings are as follows:

Period Number of lone parents who obtained employment/increased hours Number of lone Parent Who obtained employment/increased hours, but who are now in receipt of Income Support and have no earnings
21 July-22 October 1997 518 87
23 October-30 November 1997 391 86
1 December-31 December 1997 141 28
1 January-31 January 1998 228 32
1 February-28 February 1998 240 36
1 March-31 March 1998 280 26
1 April-30 April 1998 219 14

Notes:

  1. 1. The figures given for the number of lone parents who have found employment include those lone parents who have increased their hours while participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents
  2. 2. The figures given for the number of lone parents who have found employment but are now on Income Support with no earnings represent information as of 16 June 1998

It is not possible to draw conclusions about exit rates from employment of lone parents on the New Deal for Lone Parents as the data from the New Deal for Lone Parents are insufficient to calculate exit rates. The interim evaluation results of the New Deal for Lone Parents show that the programme has had an encouraging and marked effect on the rate at which lone parents move off Income Support; the programme has reduced the number of lone parents on Income Support in the New Deal areas by between one and two percentage points.

The final evaluation report, which will be available in Autumn 1999, will compare the outcomes for lone parents in the eight prototype New Deal for Lone Parents areas with those in the control areas.