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Dept for Education and Employment

Answer

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what success the New Deal has had in reducing the number of unemployed young people. [85335] Mr. Andrew Smith: As the following table shows, since New Deal was introduced nationally in April 1998, unemployment amongst the eligible group has fallen by 41 per cent. compared with a fall of 2.5 per cent. for all unemployed people aged over 25. The youth labour market is very dynamic, so some people would have left the claimant count without the help provided by New Deal. Nevertheless, initial evidence comparing Pathfinder areas (where New Deal started three months earlier) with the rest of the country suggests that the New Deal increased both the flow of young people out of unemployment and the flow into jobs. The impact of New Deal is being addressed through a comprehensive evaluation programme. All final reports from the evaluation will be published and copies placed in the Library. Unemployed claimants (UK, nsa) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Aged 18-24 Aged 25 Up to 6 months over 6 months over 12 months All aged 18-24 All April 1998 226,000 119,900 50,000 345,900 1,028,000 April 1999 229,700 70,900 16,300 300,500 1,003,1001 Change +3,700 -49,000 -33,700 -45,400 -24,900 Percentage change +1.5 -41 -67 -13 -2.5 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

85335; 332 c310-2W;332 c310-1W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Employment schemes Young people Unemployment New deal for young people

Contains statistics

Yes