HC Deb 16 November 1998 vol 319 cc391-2W
17. Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if lone parents will have their benefits reduced if they fail to attend the initial interview of the new deal for lone parents. [58383]

Angela Eagle

There is no requirement for lone parents to attend for a New Deal for Lone Parents interview—the New Deal for Lone Parents is voluntary.

26. Mr. Patrick Hall

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress being made on the Government's new deal for lone parents. [58394]

27. Mrs. Heal

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the Government's actions to help lone parents move from income support into work. [58395]

32. Mr. Fitzpatrick

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress on the new deal for lone parents. [58400]

Angela Eagle

The Government are committed to helping lone parents overcome the difficulties which may act as barriers to employment through the New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP). Under the NDLP lone parents on Income Support are offered a tailor-made personal adviser service to help them improve their employability and move from welfare into work. The programme provides support and advice on training needs, jobsearch, better-off calculations, child care information and in-work support for those who need it.

Results up to 25 September show that 9 out of 10 lone parents who attended an interview agreed to participate in the programme, and more than a quarter of these moved into work. Research on lone parents who had moved into work (and onto Family Credit) following participation in NDLP show that they are on average, £39 a week better off, and have reduced their dependency on benefit by £42 a week.

Interim findings of an independent evaluation of the NDLP in the phase 1 prototypes show that the programme is having a marked effect on the rate at which lone parents move off Income Support—around 2 percentage points reduction on the number of lone parents on Income Support compared to the control areas and almost 7 per cent. fewer new cases remaining on Income Support. A final evaluation report on the NDLP phase 1 will be available in Autumn 1999.