§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of those entering the New Deal Gateway in January 1998 were still in the Gateway on 31 December 1998. [75666]
§ 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. Graham Brady, 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 the percentage of young people who joined the New Deal Gateway in January 1998 who were still in the Gateway on 31st December 1998. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
Of those young people who entered the New Deal Gateway in January 1998, 3% were recorded as still being in the Gateway at the end of December 1998. In some cases this will be because they have had a number of periods of sickness, or have left the Gateway for other reasons, but on each occasion returned within 13 weeks of leaving.
I hope this is helpful.