---

Work Programme (Wales)

Forgive me, Mr Havard. I thought my comment was on the work programme for MPs and that you were letting me continue in your wisdom, rather than my rambling on. To pick up another point, I am particularly keen on the Welsh language, and the points made by the hon. Member for Arfon are very valid. I want to ensure that the Welsh language has proper status and recognition, and if I can do anything to help and sustain that, I will be pleased to do so. Many people are employed in Wales because of their knowledge of the language. It helps them gain employment, and I have spent many happy hours discussing how we promote and sustain the Welsh language with the director of the Welsh Language Board, who, of course, has just been appointed Welsh language commissioner. I would be delighted to engage in discussions on that matter. I am pleased that once again we have been able to have a Minister here who is an expert in this area. I therefore intend to keep my remarks to a minimum, because I am pleased with the turnout and want to ensure that the Government hear what people have to say. I hope that Members will make their views known on behalf of both their constituents and Wales. The Work programme is vital for Wales and I want to put it in context today. Before doing so, however, I would like to thank Linda Badman, someone whom many Members of the Committee know. Until recently, she was director of Jobcentre Plus Wales, and over many years she has put in a lot of hard work and been very dedicated. Members may be pleased to know that she has moved on to a new role as head of medical services with the Department for Work and Pensions, and I am sure that we all wish her the very best. I have spoken to Linda’s successor, Martin Brown—indeed, we have an official from Jobcentre Plus Wales here today—and I was pleased that he is very engaged with his new role, and he brings fresh thinking to this area. In fact, on 9 November there will be a meeting on jobcentres in the House of Commons, to which all Welsh Members will be invited. For the purposes of discussing this and other programmes, that might be of assistance. It is also interesting that Mr Brown is looking at how we can get efficiencies into the system so that we can do an even better job, although in my experience of visiting Jobcentre Plus, tremendous work is being carried out right across Wales. We are radically reforming the welfare system, which is vital to tackling the blight of long-term unemployment that has dogged Wales for many generations. A long-term approach is absolutely necessary. The Committee heard earlier that the Work programme replaces a complex range of employment support, from the new deal to employment zones to pathways to work, because much of it failed to sustain people in long-term employment and failed to solve the problems of the long-term unemployed. We must try to tackle this, and as the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell, said, this is of interest to us all, across the political divide. It concerns every one of us, wherever our constituency may be. The number of households in Wales without jobs and dependent on benefits is now 198,000, which is three percentage points lower than the same quarter last year, but the numbers are still far too high. We need to ensure that being in work pays. Under the system established by the previous Government, 35% of people in workless households in Wales would have lost more than 70% of their increased earnings if they moved into work of 10 hours per week, so the introduction of universal credit, strengthening work incentives and helping to tackle worklessness, will encourage people to work rather than put them off. The particularly valid question of where the jobs would come from was raised. The Government are passionately committed to growth as the best means of delivering jobs. Last year, we launched the growth review and our approach will ensure that all parts of Government work to create the right climate for business to develop and take people on. We want to return Wales to sustainable, balanced economic growth, and that is our first priority. We need to free up our businesses. It is particularly important in Wales, where there is so much scope for the private sector to grow. Last night I was at the reception in the House of Commons for Flintshire business week, which is in its fifth year. It celebrates what Flintshire has to offer, shows it to the rest of the UK and showcases it to the rest of the world. The private sector took that initiative, but we see many such initiatives across Wales. They should have cross-party support, as there was last night.