Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the 8.6 per cent claimant rate in Kingston upon Hull North constituency compared with the national average claimant rate of 6 per cent, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the Kickstart scheme on employment levels in (a) Kingston upon Hull North constituency, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England.

The Department for Work and Pensions will be monitoring and evaluating the Kickstart scheme throughout its implementation, and will continue to evaluate the longer term outcomes for Kickstart participants after they have completed their six-month job placements. This will include an examination of the impact on employment.

For the most recent information on Kickstart job starts by location I refer the Honourable Member to PQ 11544.