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Employment

May I also thank the Secretary of State for giving notice of his statement? I also welcome the moratorium on jobcentre closures although, as the shadow Secretary of State said, few were planned for next year. In view of that, and of the rising unemployment in certain areas, does the right hon. Gentleman have any plans to reopen closed jobcentres, especially in rural areas or areas where there are unemployment hotspots? Since December, the number of jobseeker's allowance claims has risen from 30,000 to 66,000. Is the Secretary of State planning to use the additional staff to ensure that the processing of claims is improved? We were told earlier this year that there would be a review of the social fund. One consequence of people who become unemployed facing delays in processing and the two-week delay in payment is that they have to apply for a crisis loan. When will he announce the results of the review, and is he going to employ more staff to process those social fund loans? I agree that engaging with employers is an important part of the job of Jobcentre Plus, but under the flexible new deal people have to wait 12 months before they get intensive support. They have to wait six months for basic support, yet the Freud report said that early intervention was essential, especially for vulnerable people. Does the Secretary of State have any plans to change the flexible new deal, so that intervention can take place much earlier, especially for vulnerable or young people? Finally, one consequence of yesterday's PBR was that some investment in public sector schemes will be brought forward. What discussions has the Secretary of State had with other Departments, such as the Department for Children, Schools and Families or the Department for Transport, to ensure that employers getting the contracts for those schemes are encouraged to take people off the unemployment register?