To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants have been referred early to payment group three of the work programme since June 2011; and what proportion of all the referrals to that payment group they account for.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants have been referred early to payment group three of the work programme since June 2011; and what proportion of all the referrals to that payment group they account for.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on (a) the ethnicity of people aged 24 years and under referred to the Work programme and (b) the number of those aged 24 years and under who have (i) been attached to a work...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on (a) the ethnicity of people aged 24 years and under referred to the Work programme and (b) the number of those aged 24 years and under who have (i) been attached to a work...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on (a) employment and support allowance and (b) jobseeker's allowance have moved from the Work programme to Work Choice since June 2011.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on (a) employment and support allowance and (b) jobseeker's allowance have moved from the Work programme to Work Choice since June 2011.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of sanction referrals made by Work programme providers to a decision maker in his Department have led to (a) a sanction being applied and (b) no sanction being applied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of sanction referrals made by Work programme providers to a decision maker in his Department have led to (a) a sanction being applied and (b) no sanction being applied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average period is between a sanction referral being made by a Work programme provider and a sanction being applied to the jobseeker.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average period is between a sanction referral being made by a Work programme provider and a sanction being applied to the jobseeker.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he takes to monitor whether Work Programme prime providers fulfil their minimum service standards; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he takes to monitor whether Work Programme prime providers fulfil their minimum service standards; and if he will make a statement.

If one was a Prime Minister looking for a totally trustworthy Minister to be in charge of our security service and to ensure that nothing of any

comprehension could be learned about the service, today’s debate shows that we have a candidate to fill that role. I am as confused...

If one was a Prime Minister looking for a totally trustworthy Minister to be in charge of our security service and to ensure that nothing of any

comprehension could be learned about the service, today’s debate shows that we have a candidate to fill that role. I am as confused...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of staff members employed by contractors delivering the Work Programme are paid less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of staff members employed by contractors delivering the Work Programme are paid less than the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

It is the first time that I have had the privilege of speaking under your chairmanship, Mrs Riordan, and I welcome it. You will realise from your own constituency work that the debate is immensely serious. It originated with a constituent who was ripped off, to put it in delicate...

It is the first time that I have had the privilege of speaking under your chairmanship, Mrs Riordan, and I welcome it. You will realise from your own constituency work that the debate is immensely serious. It originated with a constituent who was ripped off, to put it in delicate...

I should have hoped for more order at Jobcentre Plus than some hon. Members have been displaying, Mrs Riordan.

It must be at least 25 years ago that I suggested that help should be given to those who had difficulty finding a job. There may be fraud, and we should ask...

I should have hoped for more order at Jobcentre Plus than some hon. Members have been displaying, Mrs Riordan.

It must be at least 25 years ago that I suggested that help should be given to those who had difficulty finding a job. There may be fraud, and we should ask...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Riordan. I thank the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field) for securing this debate, so we can have clarity over Universal Jobmatch and about the many positive things that it is doing at the moment. If we look at...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Riordan. I thank the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field) for securing this debate, so we can have clarity over Universal Jobmatch and about the many positive things that it is doing at the moment. If we look at...

I welcome that information. As the Minister knows, in this case, Jobcentre Plus invited the fraudster in to have an office in the DWP, so one of my questions was what steps the Department takes to ensure that when it offers people office space in the Department, they are bona...

I welcome that information. As the Minister knows, in this case, Jobcentre Plus invited the fraudster in to have an office in the DWP, so one of my questions was what steps the Department takes to ensure that when it offers people office space in the Department, they are bona...

I will come to that. We have more than half a million businesses and 6.1 million claimants on the site, and nearly 5 million job searches a day. We know that there will be instances—it is less than 0.1%, as I said—where something goes wrong. What matters is how we...

I will come to that. We have more than half a million businesses and 6.1 million claimants on the site, and nearly 5 million job searches a day. We know that there will be instances—it is less than 0.1%, as I said—where something goes wrong. What matters is how we...

By way of example, I was showing how, before the right hon. Gentleman even knew about the incident in his constituency, we had found it, dealt with it and closed down the site, which shows that we have our own team working on it within the DWP. Monster’s team is...

By way of example, I was showing how, before the right hon. Gentleman even knew about the incident in his constituency, we had found it, dealt with it and closed down the site, which shows that we have our own team working on it within the DWP. Monster’s team is...

Agreed to on question.

Agreed to on question.

As I have said, I hope there might be an opportunity for a debate on employment, if not before then during the debate on the Queen’s Speech, which might include a proper focus on it. That would enable us to celebrate the fact that there is a record level of...

As I have said, I hope there might be an opportunity for a debate on employment, if not before then during the debate on the Queen’s Speech, which might include a proper focus on it. That would enable us to celebrate the fact that there is a record level of...

Eighteenth debate (part two) on the third report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, The Work Programme in Wales, and the Government response. Agreed to on question.

Eighteenth debate (part two) on the third report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, The Work Programme in Wales, and the Government response. Agreed to on question.

Could we have a debate on long-term unemployment? In my constituency, the number of over-25s on jobseeker’s allowance for more than two years has risen by 41% in the past year alone. The rate is now the eighth highest in England and Wales. Instead of recognising that their Work programme...

Could we have a debate on long-term unemployment? In my constituency, the number of over-25s on jobseeker’s allowance for more than two years has risen by 41% in the past year alone. The rate is now the eighth highest in England and Wales. Instead of recognising that their Work programme...

I will make my remarks as short as I can. This is a far less controversial issue than the changes to under-occupancy policy. Clearly, all of us want as many people as possible to be in employment, and all of us support the Government in introducing schemes to help those...

I will make my remarks as short as I can. This is a far less controversial issue than the changes to under-occupancy policy. Clearly, all of us want as many people as possible to be in employment, and all of us support the Government in introducing schemes to help those...

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