HC Deb 19 March 1998 vol 308 cc738-9W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many of the 431 lone parents who gained employment through the New Deal between 23 October and 30 November 1997 are now in receipt of income support and have no earnings; [33349]

(2) how many of the 151 lone parents who gained employment through the New Deal between 1 and 31 December 1997 are now in receipt of income support and have no earnings; [33350]

(3) how many of the 98 lone parents who gained employment through the New Deal between 1 and 31 January are now in receipt of income support and have no earnings. [33351]

Mr. Field

[holding answer 9 March 1998]: It is not possible to use the data from the New Deal for Lone Parents to draw conclusions about the lone parents' exit rate from employment because the data sample is small, and provides only a snapshot of lone parents in short-term work. It is also not possible to draw comparisons between the exit rates of these lone parents and that of different groups in society based on this information. However, analysis and comparison of exit rates will be made when the New Deal for Lone Parents is evaluated by the independent Social and Community Planning Research, which will report in 1999.

The number of lone parents who gained employment through the New Deal for Lone Parents between 23 October and 30 November 1997 was 391. Of that number, 66 have reclaimed Income Support and have no earnings.

The number of lone parents who gained employment through the New Deal for Lone Parents between 1 and 31 December 1997 was 141. Of that number, 19 have reclaimed Income Support and have no earnings.

The number of lone parents who gained employment through the New Deal for Lone Parents between 1 and 31 January 1998 was 228. Of that number, 26 have reclaimed Income Support and have no earnings.

Note: The discrepancy between the figures quoted in the hon. Member's question results from a change in the method of counting: up to 31 December 1997 results on the New Deal for Lone Parents were obtained clerically, but from 1 January 1998, results on the New Deal for Lone Parents have been obtained directly from the Lone Parent Adviser (LPA) Database. Due to certain anomalies in the clerical records it is not possible to reconcile the numbers obtained clerically with the number obtained through the LPA system. The source of the figure quoted in the last question is not clear.