To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people under 25 years have participated in the new deal in Northern Ireland to date; and how many of those are now in work. [76701]

The Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency has informed me that since 6 April 1998, 9,707 New Deal clients under 25 years have entered New Deal. Of these, at the end of February 1999, 2,547 had found work. Almost 70 per cent. were unsubsidised jobs. Information on whether they are still in employment could be provided only at disproportionate cost.