§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he plans to announce the outcome of bids for funding under the New Deal: Innovative Projects programme. [75748]
§ Mr. Andrew Smith[holding answer 9 March 1999]: Responsibility for the subject of the 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 Mr. Robin Corbett, dated 11 March 1999:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your question about when the outcome of bids for funding under the New Deal Innovation Fund will be announced. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
It may be helpful if I explain that New Deal Partnerships will have two opportunities a year to bid for funding from the Innovation Fund. Guidance will be issued to all partnerships in early April, alongside a timetable for bids to be received for assessment. We hope that the successful bids from the first round of assessments will be announced in July or August of this year.
I hope this is helpful.