Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the role and contribution is of local authorities in relation to the Work Programme.

Work Programme providers have flexibility to innovate and to design support that addresses the needs of individuals and the local labour market, rather than having to follow a one size fits all process.

Work Programme providers remain responsible for promoting and publicising the programme to ensure effective engagement with key stakeholders, including local partners such as local authorities. Indeed, the last stocktake of the Work Programme supply chain shows 30 local authorities or councils working directly to prime providers as either a tier 1 or tier 2 sub-contractor with other local authorities and councils also involved beyond those tiers. As of September 2014, the Work Programme has helped 368,000 long term unemployed people into lasting work with local authorities playing a part in this success.

We are currently exploring ways in which we can build on the success of the current programme in the design of future contracts, including through ensuring effective partnership working at the local level. We will be engaging with stakeholders, including local authorities, as this work progresses.