---

Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the latest figures are for (a) the number of starts on each of the New Deal for Young People options and (b) the number of the starts that have led to sustained unsubsidised employment. [194839] Jane Kennedy: Young people starting the New Deal for Young People programme face significant disadvantage in the workplace as they will already have been unemployed for six months. Participants enter a "Gateway" lasting up to four months in which a personal adviser gives them intensive job search to improve their job prospects. Of the 595,270 people who have already left the Gateway, 254,610 (43 per cent.) have entered unsubsidised, sustained work. Those who haven't found work at the end of the Gateway period enter the New Deal for Young People Options. These customers often have the most difficult barriers to work of the 18 to 24 age group. The Options help young people by giving them the skills, work experience and confidence they need to make them more job ready. Young people can access more than one option during a spell on New Deal for Young People, allowing them to find the support that is most likely to lead them to employment. Information on starts to the Options, and jobs gained, is in the table. New Deal for Young People Options _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Option Total starts1 Total unsubsidised, sustained 2 jobs gained 3 Employment 82,960 32,920 Full-time education and training 187,710 42,430 Voluntary sector 112,370 26,680 Environmental task force 110,990 24,520 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Includes people who may have started more than one Option during a single spell on New Deal for Young People. 2 For the purposes of New Deal for Young People, employment is regarded as sustained if no new claim is made for jobseeker's allowance within 13 weeks of leaving New Deal. 3 Includes jobs gained directly from the option, and from the Follow-Through stage of New Deal for Young People after completing the option. Notes: 1. Data is from the national launch of New Deal for Young People in January 1998 to the end of June 2004. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Information and Analysis Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

194839; 426 c1888-9W;426 c1893W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Employment Young people New deal for young people

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk