New Deal (Lone Parents) (Hansard, 4 February 2000)

§ Mr. Willetts
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents, under the New Deal for Lone Parents, have(a) been issued with initial invitation letters, (b) booked initial interviews with personal advisers, (c) attended initial interviews, (d) agreed to participate in the programme, (e) been referred to Employment Service programmes or other training, (f) obtained jobs following participation and (g) have increased their hours of work following participation. [108001]

§ Angela Eagle
The information is in the table.
749W

Results for the National Programme (October 1998-November 1999) Prototype phases 1 and 2 (July 1997-October 1998)

Initial invitation letters issued 443,710 50,612

Initial interviews booked ¹134,948 30,826

Initial interviews attended 112,570 23,300

Number agreeing to participate 100,500 20,191

Number entering education/training 10,630 2,476

Jobs obtained (Number of these obtained by part-time workers 32,710 5,429

increasing their hours) (1,230) (842)

¹ This figure is taken from internal management information and so has not been validated in the same way as other figures for the National Programme.

§ Mr. Willetts
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent on the New Deal for Lone Parents(a) since the original pilot schemes were established and (b) since its full implementation. [1080043]

§ Angela Eagle
The cost of implementing the New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP) prototype phase 1 areas was £7.9 million. The cost of implementing the national programme has been £47.6 million, broken down as £0.311 million 1997–98, £22.3 million in 1998–99 and £25 million in 1999–2000 (up to the end of December 1999).
Both sums include the cost of project management, the development and provision of IT support, publicity, the cost of evaluation and the costs of NDLP Innovative Pilots.
As such it is not possible to equate these with the impact of adviser time spent in helping lone parents into work. The independent evaluation of the NDLP prototype phase is due to be published at the end of this month and will include a full cost/benefit analysis. Similarly, the national programme is being evaluated separately and will also include a cost/benefit analysis. This is due for publication in spring 2002.

	Results for the National Programme (October 1998-November 1999)	Prototype phases 1 and 2 (July 1997-October 1998)
Initial invitation letters issued	443,710	50,612
Initial interviews booked	¹134,948	30,826
Initial interviews attended	112,570	23,300
Number agreeing to participate	100,500	20,191
Number entering education/training	10,630	2,476
Jobs obtained (Number of these obtained by part-time workers	32,710	5,429
increasing their hours)	(1,230)	(842)
¹ This figure is taken from internal management information and so has not been validated in the same way as other figures for the National Programme.