§ Mr. BrazierTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage and what value of New Deal contracts are delivered by(a) Jobcentre Plus and (b) other organisations. [98016]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownServices to New Deal customers are delivered through Jobcentre Plus and organisations from the private and voluntary sectors.
In 2001–02, total New Deal expenditure by the then Employment Service was approximately £672 million. Of this, expenditure on New Deal contracts with the private and not for profit sectors amounted to £311 million, approximately 46 per cent. of the total. The remainder of the expenditure was on services delivered by the then Employment Service (£216 million) and on allowances paid to New Deal customers (£145 million).
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Buckingham constituency are on the New Deal Programme, broken down by each category of the New Deal. [107156]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownNumbers participating on each category of the New Deal Programme in Buckingham are provided in the table.
649W
New Deal Programme in Buckingham Programme Number of participants at end December 20021 New Deal for Young People 10 New Deal 25 plus 10
New Deal Programme in Buckingham Programme Number of participants at end December 20021 New Deal for Lone Parents 10 New Deal 50 +2 310 1 All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. This is in line with National Statistics guidelines and prevents possible disclosure of individuals.
2 Up to end of February 2003.
3 Currently in receipt of Employment Credit.
Note:
Information on people currently participating on other New Deal programmes is not available.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on the New Deal for Young People in the Buckingham constituency in 2001–02 have joined(a) subsidised employment, (b) the Environmental Task Force, (c) the voluntary sector and (d) the full-time education or training option. [107157]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownNumbers starting individual options for the New Deal for Young People programme in the Buckingham constituency are too small to provide for any individual year, including 2001–02.
Numbers joining each option in the Buckingham constituency since the programme began in April 1998 are provided in the table.
New Deal for Young People in Buckingham Option Numbers started since April 19981 Employment Option 10 Education or Training Option 10 Environmental Task Force Option 10 Voluntary Sector Option 10 1 All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. This is in line with National Statistics guidelines and prevents possible disclosure of individuals.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons it is not possible for a client registered with the New Deal for Disabled People to undertake a gateway interview retrospectively to access funds for a suitable training course. [105884]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownNew Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) aims to support customers in receipt of incapacity benefits to take up, or return to, paid employment if they wish to do so. The purpose of the NDDP gateway interview is to introduce customers to NDDP and inform them of Job Broker services.
Customers participating in NDDP can access Jobcentre Plus programmes, including Work Based Learning for Adults (WBLA), without the need to attend an additional gateway interview, provided they meet the individual programme eligibility criteria. Where a Job Broker agrees with a customer that WBLA is appropriate, they will contact Jobcentre Plus to arrange this.
§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the guidelines are for implementation of the(a) employer option, (b) Environmental Task Force Option and (c) Voluntary Sector Option of the New Deal for Young People; [106655]
650W(2) what guidance his Department issues to employers on the application of the national minimum wage to participants in the (a) employer option, (b) environmental task force option and (c) voluntary sector option of the New Deal for Young People. [107847]
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown[holding answer 8 April 2003]: New Deal providers are issued with detailed guidance to support their delivery of the New Deal programme, which includes information on the national minimum wage.
Many participants on the New Deal for Young People Environment Task Force and Voluntary Options do not receive a wage and are thus not covered by the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. These participants are paid a New Deal allowance equivalent to their jobseeker's allowance, plus a grant of £400 paid over the 26 weeks of the programme.
Employers participating in the Employment Option and providers participating in the waged Environment Task Force or Voluntary Option enter into a contractual agreement with Jobcentre Plus. The agreement includes a requirement to comply with the requirements of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.