Oral Answers to Questions

David Amess Excerpts

Monday 10th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

7. How many people have come off benefits after joining the Work programme in (a) Kettering constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England to date.

[Mr David Amess (Southend West) (Con)]

15. How many people have come off benefits after joining the Work programme to date.

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Mr Mark Hoban)]

Last month, we published data showing that 57% of claimants who joined the Work programme in June 2011 had spent some time off benefits. The figures showed that the programme was moving people off benefits and that, as claimants spent longer on the programme, more of them came off benefits.

[Mr Hoban]

There is a range of ways of helping people with their travel costs in order to get them back into work. Jobcentre Plus can provide money through the flexible support funds, and Work programme providers can provide support to help people to reduce the cost of their travel. There is also funding available to help people who want to work to get free child care.

[Mr Amess]

Will my hon. Friend confirm that figures just released by the Employment Related Services Association show that the Work programme has been even more successful in taking people off benefits than the figures released by his own Department suggest?

[Mr Hoban]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The figures produced by the ERSA last month show that more than 200,000 people have found work through the Work programme. They also show that the programme is effective at moving people into work and that job entries are rising from month to month. They clearly show improvements in performance as the programme matures.