Written question asked by Maria Miller (Conservative) on Wednesday, 29 March 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 April 2006. It was answered by Anne McGuire (Labour) on Wednesday, 3 May 2006 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Workstep Programme

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many places are available through the Workstep programme; how many people were referred to the programme in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on future plans for the programme.

Answer: The Workstep (including Remploy) programme provides around 30,000 places. In the year ending December 2005, 9,841 individuals were referred to the programme.The Welfare Reform Green Paper”” A new deal for welfare: Empowering people to work”” announced the review of specialist employment programmes for disabled people, including Workstep, and the intention to consult on our proposals later in the year.Separately on the 16 March, the Government announced a review of Remploy Ltd in the context of the Government's strategy for supporting greater numbers of disabled people into employment.

Secondary information