HC Deb 18 March 1999 vol 327 cc754-5W
28. Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress with the new deal for the young unemployed. [75603]

Mr. Andrew Smith

The New Deal for young people has made an encouraging start since its national roll-out in April 1998. The latest Government Statistical Service figures to the end of December 1998, and provisional Management Information to the end of January 1999, show that in Great Britain over 231,000 young people have already joined New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds. Of these 43,330 have found unsubsidised employment, 15,170 subsidised employment and 49,590 have joined one of the other three options.

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the numbers of young people who have joined the New Deal. [75579]

Mr. Blunkett

The latest figures to the end of January show that 231,740 young people have joined the New Deal.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much has been spent to date on(a) subsidies,(b) allowances and (c) administration for the new deal for young people. [77181]

Mr. Andrew Smith

[holding answer 16 March 1999]Responsibility for the subject of these questions 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. David Maclean, dated 18 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 how much has been spent on subsidies, allowances and administration for the New Deal for 18 to 24 year olds. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. To the end of February, £16.2m has been brought to account on employment subsidies for young people and £28.6m on allowances for those participating in the training and work experience options under the programme. The cost so far of implementing and managing New Deal has been £146.1m. This includes the initial expenditure on marketing, premises and IT equipment to establish the New Deal in its first year. All of these figures exclude the cost of payments to providers of New Deal. I hope this is helpful.