The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he expects EU funding allocated to the Youth Guarantee to be drawn down in the UK.
Esther McVey
There is no EU funding allocated to the Youth Guarantee.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the differential payment regime in the Work Programme in reducing creaming and parking.
Esther McVey
The independent evaluation explores the pricing structure of the Work Programme. The Department will publish findings once the independent evaluation of the Work Programme is complete.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he has in place to establish the extent to which work programme providers have assisted participants to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
Esther McVey
The Work Programme is designed to be flexible and tailored to each individual, with some participants requiring more support than others which may include assistance in improving their literacy and numeracy skills. The Department has a robust performance management regime which includes assurance of service delivery at individual participant level
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people returning to Jobcentre Plus after two years on the Work Programme are aged under 25 years.
Esther McVey
Statistics on the number of claimants who have returned to Jobcentre Plus after 104 weeks on the Work Programme by age group can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool
Guidance for users is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy that Work Programme participants should be eligible for the new enterprise allowance; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
Work Programme Providers have the freedom to provide whatever support they think will be effective in supporting claimants into employment and self-employment.
Work programme participants may be able to access a loan to support them in setting up a business through the BIS start-up loan scheme
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been paid out in wage incentives under the Youth Contract, by region, in each year since its introduction.
Esther McVey
The latest information that we hold on Youth Contract Wage Incentives was published in February 2014 and can be found at the link below. We do not collect payment data in a form that allows it to be reported at regional level.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 17 March 2014, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on the Higgins Review, whether the review of connections from HS2 to the Continent announced in that statement will assure the provision of (a) a segregated double track link and (b) any other dedicated railway link between HS1 and HS2.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to consider how to improve connections between the rail network and the continent, in a way that could be implemented once the initial stages of HS2 are complete. The report will explore options that will stand the test of time and will be completed before the end of next year. The remit of the work is being considered and will be finalised shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a jobcentre is permitted to require a jobseeker to attend a voluntary employment support project in receipt of no statutory funding without the consent of that project.
Esther McVey
The role of the Jobcentre Plus Work Coach is to provide support and advise claimants of the best opportunities available to help them secure employment.
Jobcentre Plus can issue a Jobseeker’s Direction to require JSA claimants to undertake activity they judge will help them back to work. However, before doing so, the Jobcentre Plus Work Coach will take into account the claimant’s individual circumstances, as well as determining that the activity being required will help improve their employment prospects and they can reasonably be expected to undertake it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of people over 50 had been out of work for over a year in each year since 1994.
Mr Nick Hurd
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he received the Work Programme Evaluation: Interim meta-report; what his plans are for its publication; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
Draft findings from the phase of the evaluation covered by the interim report were received by the Department in August 2013. The Department will publish findings once the independent evaluation of the Work Programme is complete.