New Deal (Hansard, 12 March 1999)

§ Mr. Andrew Smith

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 Mr. James Clappison, dated 17 February 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 reasons why questions 66965 and 66966 were not answered in his reply on 3 February. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am sorry if my earlier reply was unclear. As to those persons aged 18 to 24 years who have been invited to join the New Deal but who have failed to keep any appointments, I said in my earlier reply that of the 203, 100 young people who had started New Deal by the end of November, 14,170 signed off Jobseeker's Allowance before attending their initial appointment. All of the 14,170 therefore left before attending any appointment. We do not monitor centrally the number of young people who fail to attend their initial appointment but who do attend a second or subsequent appointment. Where a young person fails to attend interviews with an Adviser but continues to claim Jobseeker's Allowance a referral of their claim to an Adjudication Officer will normally be made. Up to the end of November 1998, 2,577 such referrals had been made. As to those who started the New Deal but subsequently dropped out, my earlier reply said that, up to the end of November 1998, 22,760 young people had left New Deal and Jobseeker's Allowance to unknown destinations which I had taken to be the information which was being sought. I would be very grateful if you would write to me if I am still not providing the specific information you are seeking in order that I may try to do so. I hope this is helpful.