§ 21. Julie MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the operation of the new deal in Wales. [12488]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyThe new deal has been a success story in Wales. 81,500 people in Wales have benefited from the scheme so far and 42 per cent. of those have now found jobs. Since the launch of the scheme in Wales there has been a 68 per cent. fall in the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months or more and the number of people over 25 claiming jobseeker's allowance for two years or more has fallen by 45 per cent.