HC Deb 30 November 2000 vol 357 cc818-9W
Mr. Brady

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many people have entered the New Deal gateway(a) once, (b) twice and (c) three times or more in respect of the (i) New Deal for Young People, (ii) New Deal for the over 25s, (iii) New Deal for the over 50s and (iv) New Deal 25-plus pilots; [138093]

(2) when he will answer the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West for answer on 8 November. [140889]

Ms Jowell

[holding answer 13 November 2000]: The latest figures show that to the end of August 2000:

(i) New Deal for Young People

  1. (a) 408,845 young people had entered the Gateway period of New Deal once;
  2. (b) 40,542 young people had entered the Gateway period of New Deal twice; and
  3. (c) 1,242 young people had entered the Gateway period of New Deal three or more times.

Young people entering for a second or third time had not necessarily been through the full Gateway period before.

(ii) New Deal 25+

  1. (a) 198,769 people aged 25+ had entered the advisory interview process period of New Deal once;
  2. (b) 29,913 people aged 25+ had entered the advisory interview process period of New Deal twice; and
  3. (c) 8,008 people aged 25+ had entered the advisory interview process period of New Deal three or more times.

We cannot provide figures for the number of people who have entered New Deal 50+ or 25+ pilots more than once. In practice very few people have had time to enter New Deal 50+ twice. It has been running nationally only since April 2000, and a client needs a full six months without a job before re-entering.