§ 28. Lawrie QuinnTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the impact that the new deal 50-plus has had on getting older people back into work. [19169]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownWe are committed to the principle of extending opportunity for all to everyone regardless of age, and tackling age discrimination in the workplace. A key element of this is the New Deal 50 plus which has already helped over 50,000 people move into work since its national launch in April 2000.
We are developing 3rd Age Apprenticeships to increase take up of the New Deal 50 plus training provision, and employer involvement in the programme. These will offer work-based training organised on a sectoral basis, making using of existing New Deal 50 plus funding arrangements, particularly the Training Grant.
The ongoing AgePositive campaign is challenging workplace attitudes towards age, ensuring employers realise the benefits of employing an age diverse workforce. On 3 December the campaign launched both a new AgePositive website and research studies, including the Evaluation of the Impact of the Code of Practice and Good Practice in the Recruitment and Retention of Older Workers.
§ 36. Mr. PlaskittTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with employers on the new deal. [19177]
603W
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownSince June of this year we have met with key employer organisations and many individual employers. Their input is central to the development of our employment policies and to ensuring that our employment programmes meet local labour market needs and employers' recruitment needs.
We have also created the National Employment Panel to ensure that employers, and other key customers, have a strong and permanent voice within the Department. The Panel is an employer-led body that will provide independent advice on the design, delivery and performance of our welfare to work initiatives.
Employers have a central role to play in achieving our goal of creating and sustaining employment opportunities for all.
§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training is given to New Deal personal advisers in respect of the new deal 50 plus. [15842]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownAll personal advisers receive training in interviewing, influencing and motivational skills; effective communication and interpersonal skills; awareness of the diversity of clients and their particular needs. They are also trained in practical skills such as how to conduct In Work benefit calculations, knowledge of the local labour market and ES programmes and services. In addition to this generic training detailed guidance is available on the new deal 50 plus process through the ESCOM computer system which is accessible to advisers in Jobcentres. An Open Learning handbook has also been produced for use by advisers to support the Age Diversity initiative. This contains a section addressing specific new deal 50 plus issues.
§ Mr. Alan CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on(a) the number of participants in the new deal for over-50 from Tynemouth constituency in the last 12 months, (b) the destination of people leaving the scheme and (c) the cost involved. [17991]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe new deal 50-plus blend of personal advice, jobsearch help and in-work financial support has proved very successful at helping people over 50 move off benefits and back into work.
The only measurement of participation in the programme is the number of those who move into work and claim the programme's in-work financial support, the Employment Credit. 92 people went into work with the help of the Employment Credit from Whitley Bay and North Shields Jobcentres, between October 2000 and September 2001. Others will have benefited from the advice and help available from personal advisers.
The Employment Credit wage top up is paid at £60 per week for full-time work (maximum £3,120) and £40 for part-time work (maximum £2,080), for up to 12 months. In addition, each individual in receipt of the Employment Credit is eligible for a £750 in-work Training Grant.
604W
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have entered the new deal gateway(a) once, (b) twice and (c) three times or more in the Buckingham constituency in respect of the (i) new deal for young people, (ii) new deal for 25-plus, (iii) new deal for 50-plus and (iv) new deal for lone parents. [17851]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownFor new deal for young people, there had been 101 starts on the programme in Buckingham constituency to the end of September 2001. Of these, three young people had entered twice and none had entered three or more times.
For new deal for 25-plus, there had been 149 starts on the programme in Buckingham constituency to the end of September 2001. Of these, 16 people had entered twice and four had entered three or more times.
The new deal for lone parents and new deal 50-plus do not have gateways.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
§ Mr. FlightTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have entered the new deal gateway(a) once, (b) twice and (c) three times or more in Arundel and South Downs in respect of the (i) new deal for young people, (ii) new deal for 25-plus, (iii) new deal for 50-plus and (iv) new deal for lone parents. [18316]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownFor new deal for young people, there were 129 starts on the programme in Arundel and South Downs constituency to the end of September 2001. Of these, 10 young people had entered twice and none had entered three or more times.
For new deal for 25-plus, there were 89 starts on the programme in Arundel and South Downs constituency to the end of September 2001. Of these, nine people had entered twice and three had entered three or more times.
The new deal for lone parents and new deal 50-plus do not have gateways.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) long-term unemployed and (b) lone parents have gained (i) subsidised and (ii) unsubsidised employment under the New Deal scheme in Wiltshire. [18409]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownUp to the end of September 2001, the New Deal 25 plus had helped 58 long-term unemployed people move into subsidised employment and 412 into unsubsidised employment in Wiltshire Employment Service District.
Up to the end of August 2001, the New Deal for Lone Parents had helped 798 lone parents move into work in Wiltshire Employment Service District. Subsidised employment is not a feature of the New Deal for Lone Parents programme.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
605W
§ Mr. FlightTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on the New Deal for Young People in Arundel and South Downs have joined(a) the subsidised employment option, (b) the environmental task force option, (c) the voluntary sector option and (d) the full-time education or training option in each year since its inception. [18315]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe information is in the table.
Number of young people starting NDYP options in Arundel and South Downs Subsidised employment Environment task force Voluntary sector Full-time education and training 1998 4 1 2 5 1999 3 0 3 3 2000 1 0 1 8 20011 3 1 0 1 Total 11 2 6 17 1 To end September Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) long-term unemployed and (b) lone parents have undertaken training under the New Deal scheme in Wiltshire. [18408]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownUp to the end of September 2001, 17 people had started education and training opportunities under the New Deal 25 plus in the Wiltshire Employment Service District.
Up to the end of August 2001, 102 lone parents had taken up education and training opportunities under the New Deal for Lone Parents in the Wiltshire Employment Service District.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
§ Mr. BorrowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to monitor the effectiveness of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [19147]
§ Malcolm WicksThe results of the New Deal for Lone Parents programme are published every month. These show that we have helped lone parents into over 127,000 jobs through this New Deal.
Extensive evaluation of the programme is being conducted and new items of research are published as they are completed. We expect to publish a report, bringing together findings from all strands of the evaluation, in 2003.
§ Mr. Alan CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on(a) the number of participants in the new deal for young people from Tynemouth constituency in the last 12 months, (b) the destination of people leaving the scheme and (c) the cost involved. [17992]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe available information is in the tables.
606W
Tynemouth constituency Month Number of new deal for young people participants October 2000 240 November 2000 236 December 2000 231 January 2001 246 February 2001 245 March 2001 255 April 2001 259 May 2001 255 June 2001 245 July 2001 239 August 2001 237 September 2001 220 Note:
Figures are the number of participants at the end of each month and are the latest available. The figures are not cumulative.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
Tynemouth constituency Destination on leaving the new deal for young people Number of clients Unsubsidised employment 471 Other benefits 107 Other known destinations 214 Not known 285 Total leavers 1,077 Note:
Figures are cumulative to the end of September 2001.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
Estimates of the cost of the programme are not available at constituency level.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on the new deal for young people in the Buckingham constituency have joined(a) for subsidised employment, (b) the Environmental task force, (c) the voluntary sector and (d) the full-time education or training option in each year since its operation. [17850]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe information is in the table.
Number of young people starting NDYP options in Buckingham Year Subsidised employment Environment task force Voluntary sector Full time education and training 1998 2 1 4 2 1999 2 1 4 2 2000 1 3 5 0 20011 0 1 0 1 Total 5 6 13 5 1 To end September Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database