§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people on the New Deal Scheme have been employed(a) as classroom assistants in schools and (b) as childcare providers. [70010]
§ Mr. Andrew Smith[holding answer 8 February 1999]: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mrs. Theresa May, dated 9 February 1999:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply direct to your question about the numbers of young people on New Deal who have been employed as classroom assistants in schools and as childcare providers. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
Up to 8 January 1999, 852 young people on New Deal had been placed as childcare assistants (427 in unsubsidised jobs and 425 194W on the Employment option). A further 731 had been placed on Full-Time Education and Training and Voluntary Sector options in the childcare area.
Unfortunately, similar, information on classroom assistants is not readily available.