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Work Programme

Of course, there are different challenges in different places in Wales. In Wrexham, where we are today, there are about three times as many people on jobseeker’s allowance as there are vacancies. The right hon. Gentleman will know from his experience as Secretary of State for Wales that the labour market is not static. Each year throughout the United Kingdom, Jobcentre Plus takes in about 4 million to 5 million vacancies. Even at present, in what are clearly more difficult times economically because of the difficult events happening throughout the world, about 90,000 job vacancies are advertised by Jobcentre Plus each week. The estimates have always been that that represents only about half the total number of vacancies in the economy. My message to the right hon. Gentleman is that we are looking for 650,000 or so people to be on the Work programme by the end of the financial year. We want to ensure that the people whom we are helping—the long-term unemployed—are in the best possible position to take advantage of the vacancies. He will know from his own experience that the worst thing we can possibly do is abandon the long-term unemployed and leave them to a life on benefits, with a sense of hopelessness and without purpose or motivation. If we can help them to believe in themselves again and find the right opportunities, we can make a difference. Vacancies are advertised each day, each week, at all jobcentres. I want to make sure that the long-term unemployed are at the front of the queue to fill those vacancies when they arise.