§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps are taken to assess the number of entrants to the New Deal for Young People who are functionally(a) illiterate and (b) innumerate on (i) entering and (ii) leaving the Gateway Period of the New Deal; and how many such people are on the New Deal. [25987]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownNew Deal personal advisers follow a clear screening and assessment process to ensure young people requiring help with basic skills, such as literacy and numeracy, are offered assistance to meet their needs.
As part of the initial interview with people entering the New Deal, personal advisors ask questions designed to establish whether the young person has any potential basic skills needs. If a possible need is identified, the young person is referred for independent assessment through a Basic Skills Agency test. Young people are then offered basic skills help in line with the assessment outcome. Following the basic skills provision, personal advisers keep track of the young person's improvements and discuss with them the most appropriate method of meeting any further needs.
Information on those requiring help with basic skills has been collected since April 2001. It does not differentiate between literacy and numeracy. Between April and November 2001, 4,410 young people attended provision designed to address their basic skills needs. 2,854 of these were within the New Deal gateway. Information on the outcomes of basic skills provision is not available.
§ Mr. Ivan HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Harwich constituency are in the New Deal programme; and how many were placed in employment following their participation in the scheme. [30980]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownInformation at constituency level is not available for the New Deal for Disabled People and the New Deal for Partners. The available information is in the table:
New Deal Participating as at end November 2001 Placed into employment Young People 55 586 25 plus 55 68 Lone Parents 177 201 50 plus* 71 143 *Figures are to the end of December 2001. Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database.