§ 12. Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the cost-effectiveness of the New Deal for young people in Wales. [142013]
§ 15. Mr. BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the cost-effectiveness of the New Deal for young people in Wales. [142016]
§ Mr. HansonThe New Deal is working, performing better than most independent economists would have expected of an active labour market policy. We now have the lowest youth unemployment since July 1975 and the lowest unemployment for twenty years.
The percentage fall in youth unemployment since May 1997 was 31 per cent. with a fall of 81 per cent. in long-term youth unemployment till September 2000. Figures show that there has been a 22 per cent. fall in youth unemployment with a fall of 73 per cent. since April 1998, attributable largely to the New Deal.