§ Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria were used to decide the electoral wards of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne that have the service of employment action teams; how those wards scored on those criteria; how (a) Wingrove, (b) Fenham, (c) Blakelaw, (d) Moorside and (e) Sandyford wards scored on those criteria; and when the criteria will next be reviewed. [78762]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe wards being targeted by the Newcastle upon Tyne Action Team for Jobs were selected because their working age employment rate was 58.5 per cent. or below, at 10 April 2001 when selection took place. All other wards in the City of Newcastle local authority area, including Wingrove, Fenham, Blakelaw, Moorside and Sandyford, had employment rates above this figure at the time of selection. The wards targeted by the Action Team will be reviewed if there is a significant depopulation of the client groups in any of them.