Oral Answers to Questions

Jeremy Lefroy Excerpts

Monday 18th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

3. What recent progress he has made on delivering the Work programme.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

5. What recent progress he has made on delivering the Work programme.

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Chris Grayling)]

The Department for Work and Pensions completed the launch of the Work programme by the end of June and it is now operational in all parts of the country. I have now visited a number of the providers and their centres and I am pleased to see the progress they are making.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Grayling]

There are two things about the Work programme that will help my hon. Friend and his constituents. First, the providers are free to deliver whatever solution works for the individuals—a crucial difference to past programmes—and, secondly, they are rewarded not simply for getting people into work but for sustaining them in work for periods that can be as long as two years and three months. I hope that will deal with the challenges in the labour market in my hon. Friend’s constituency.

[Jeremy Lefroy]

On Friday, we welcomed the Minister to the Stafford jobs fair and the Shaw Trust in the Stafford constituency. How extensive is the role he foresees for the voluntary sector in providing the Work programme?

[Chris Grayling]

The voluntary sector has a crucial role to play in two ways. First, we have a wide range of voluntary sector organisations contractually involved in the Work programme, delivering support to the long-term unemployed. I also believe that a local community activity such as the excellent jobs fair that my hon. Friend organised in his constituency, together with Stafford Works, is an ideal example of how Work programme providers and the local community can work together to deliver real back-to-work support for the unemployed.