HC Deb 11 December 2002 vol 396 cc377-8W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people have taken up a place on the Environmental Task Force option of the New Deal to date; what has been the(a) total and (b) annual cost of the option to date; and if he will make a statement. [84440]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

[holding answer 2 December 2002]The Environment Task Force option of the New Deal is successfully improving the employability of young people through work experience and training. Up to the end of September 2002, 62,800 young people had participated in the option, many of whom faced significant disadvantages in the labour market. This year we have further improved the option by introducing work placements with private sector employers and enhancing jobsearch help. All Environment Task Force projects seek to improve the local environment and are well received.

The available information on the annual and total expenditure by the Department on the option is in the table.

£ million
Expenditure on the Environment Task Force
1998–99 15
1999–2000 43
2000–01 43
Total 101

Note:

Information for 2001–02 is not yet available.

Source: Jobcentre Plus Finance.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of persons on the New Deal have left the New Deal and returned to benefits in each year since its establishment. [85972]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

[holding answer 9 December 2002]The number of leavers from the New Deals for Young People, 25 Plus and Lone Parents who remain on benefits is published in the respective quarterly Statistical First Releases, copies of which are available in the Library.

Evaluation of the New Deal programmes includes work looking at how many participants return to benefits and how many remain in work over the longer term. Evaluation reports are placed in the Library as they are published.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information is available in the New Deal Evaluation Database; and if he will make a statement. [85986]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

[holding answer 9 December 2002]The New Deal Evaluation Database contains information on the characteristics (e.g. gender. age, ethnic group) of participants on the New Deal programme, together with details of their activity while on the programme. Full details can be found in an article entitled "New Deal Statistics and the New Deal Evaluation Database" in the April 1999 edition of Labour Market Trends, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of(a) subsidised and (b) unsubsidised sustained employment starts under the New Deal have been in the construction industry in each month since the establishment of the New Deal; and if he will make a statement about the impact of the New Deal on employment in the construction industry. [85993]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

[holding answer 26 November 2002]We estimate that since April 1998 around 9 per cent. (6,800) of subsidised employment starts in the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus have been in the construction industry. However, the underlying data are not sufficiently robust for a realistic monthly breakdown to be given. Subsidised employment is not an option in the other New Deals.

Information on the industry sector of unsubsidised sustained employment starts obtained through the New Deal is not routinely collected.

In addition to filling construction industry jobs through the New Deal, we have introduced Ambition: Construction, an employer-led initiative which is designed to help unemployed and disadvantaged people gain the specific skills which construction employers require. Ambition: Construction aims to deliver sustainable employment and an NVQ Level 2 qualification in one of the construction trades to 1,000 New Deal participants. Pilot programmes are now running in West London, West Yorkshire, Nottingham, the North West and Coventry.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what evaluation has been made of the New Deal for Disabled People; and if he will make a statement. [85990]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

[holding answer 9 December 2002]New Deal for Disabled People is the first national programme designed specifically to support people with health conditions and disabilities move into and keep jobs. Since the national extension of the programme began, it has helped over 6,000 people into jobs and almost 28,000 have registered with Job Brokers to actively pursue employment.

Comprehensive evaluation is under way to measure the effectiveness of the programme. This will include qualitative and quantitative research with all key stakeholders. We will be publishing reports on different elements of the evaluation as they become available from early in the new year.