§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the impact of the Welfare to Work programme to date in the West Midlands. [57735]
§ Mr. Andrew Smith[holding answer 2 November 1998]: Government Statistical Service figures, covering the period from January 1998 to the end of August 1998, show that in the West Midlands 14,530 young people had started on New Deal and that 1,772 had started unsubsidised employment; 457 subsidised employment; 154 on the Environment Task Force; 136 on the voluntary sector option; and 489 on Full-Time Education and Training option.
We have a comprehensive evaluation programme to measure the impact of New Deal nationally, regionally, and locally. I will publish further detailed findings of this programme as they become available.