§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operation of the New Deal for(a) older people, (b) lone parents and (c) disabled people in the Jarrow constituency. [150465]
§ Ms JowellI have been asked to reply.
The New Deals benefit the labour market because participants leave the programme better equipped, motivated and skilled for the rest of their working lives. For the period ending November 2000, 824 people have joined the New Deal 25+ programme, resulting in 122 jobs. Also, 47 people have started work with the New Deal 50+ employment credit. 540 people have started New Deal for Lone Parents in Jarrow, resulting in 275 jobs. We know that many other people will have left the New Deal for employment without telling the Employment Service—these people are not included in the figures. Figures for New Deal for Disabled People are not yet available at constituency level. The South Tyneside pilot area of the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) includes the constituency of Jarrow. All the NDDP pilots are making a valuable contribution to our learning and experience of which forms of extra help and support work best.