§ 19. Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to reduce the reliance of lone parents on social security benefits. [129340]
§ Angela EagleThis Government have introduced a raft of measures to help lone parents move from benefit dependency into work, and to help make work pay.
These include the New Deal for Lone Parents; the Lone Parent's Benefit Run-On; the National Childcare Strategy; the National Minimum Wage and the Working Families Tax Credit.
§ 32. Mr. Russell BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [129353]
§ Angela EagleSince the start of NDLP 154,731 lone parents have taken part, 16,294 have entered education or training and 54,241 have obtained jobs—over 1 in 3 of those participating. Independent evaluation of the prototype areas found a reduction in the number of lone parents on Income Support in NDLP areas compared to comparison areas.
We are supporting the New Deal with a raft of measures to help lone parents move into work including the Lone Parent's Benefit Run-On, the National Childcare Strategy, and Working Families Tax Credit.
From April 2001 (and in three pathfinder areas from this autumn) we will be introducing work-focused interviews for lone parents with school age children to ensure that they are aware of all the help and opportunities that are available for them.
§ 34. Sir Sydney ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the New Deal for Lone Parents, including the costs involved. [129355]
§ Angela EagleThe New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP) programme was introduced in July 1997 in eight prototype areas and extended nationally to all Income Support claimants from October 1998. The prototype phase cost £7.9 million, including set-up costs, and the national programme has provisionally cost £60.1 million (to March 2000). Independent evaluation of the NDLP prototypes estimated that NDLP was recovering 90 per cent. of its total costs and more than covered its on-going running costs.
From April 2001 we will be introducing a £15 weekly training premium for lone parents moving into work-focused training through NDLP; increasing the earnings disregard in income-related benefits; and providing more help with child care for those moving into part-time work. We will also be introducing work-focused interviews for lone parents on Income Support with a youngest child of school age to ensure that they are aware of all the measures that we have introduced to help them move into work.
Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [129336]
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§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the performance of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [129327]
§ Angela EagleSince the start of the New Deal for Lone Parents, 154,731 lone parents have taken part, 16,294 have entered education or training and 54,241 have obtained jobs—over 1 in 3 of those participating.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many initial invitation letters for the New Deal for Lone Parents were sent out between October 1998 and April 2000. [130229]
§ Angela EagleThe total number of initial invitation letters issued between October 1998 and April 2000 was 489,481. From April 2001, we will be introducing compulsory work-focused interviews for all lone parents on Income Support whose youngest child is of school age.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under the New Deal for Lone Parents, how many lone parents in each month between February and April 2000(a) attended an initial interview and (b) found work, broken down into those whose youngest child was (i) over and (ii) under five years and three months. [130228]
§ Angela EagleThe information is in the table.
Number of lone parents who attended an initial interview and number who obtained jobs Over 5 years 3 months Under 5 years 3 months Number attending initial interview with a youngest child February 4,390 4,360 March 5,190 5,340 April 3,880 3,030 Number of jobs obtained by lone parents with a youngest child February 1,650 1,270 March 2,470 1,920 April 1,870 1,710