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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Pathways to Work pilot scheme evaluation referred to on page 17 of his Department's publication UK National Action Plan for Employment. [194695] Maria Eagle: A report on interviews carried out with Personal Advisers and Incapacity Benefit customers in the first three Pathways to Work pilots was published in September 2004. A copy has been placed in the Library. [W202 `Incapacity Benefit reforms: Early Findings from Qualitative Research'.] A further report, which looks in detail at the role and practices of Personal Advisers across all seven pilot districts, will be published in late November. These studies are part of a wide-ranging evaluation of all aspects of the Pathways pilots. Reports on different elements of the evaluation will be placed in the Library as they are published. Part of the UK National Action Plan for Employment also referred to the improved job entry performance in pilot areas. This was derived from early internal analysis of Jobcentre Plus recorded job entries in the pilot areas. Since that report was written, there is now further emerging evidence showing that Pathways areas are achieving double the level of improvement in the number of recorded job entries compared to other areas. They are also getting about six times as many people to take up further help to get back to work, and there are positive and encouraging indications of an increase in flows off incapacity benefit in comparison to both last year and to non-pilot areas.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

194695; 426 c1889W;426 c1894W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Disability Employment schemes Pilot schemes Pathways to work programme

Link

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