To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department has had on the Freud Report proposal of the introduction of a star system by Jobcentre Plus to measure provider performance in Pathways to Work; and if he will make a statement. (128710)

David Freud’s report “Reducing dependency, increasing opportunity: options for the future of welfare to work” does not propose the introduction of a star system to measure provider performance in Pathways to Work. The report proposes, as part of a new contracting system, that

“the Department will need to develop monitoring capability similar to the successful Star Rating system developed in Australia.”

The Department has been developing such a capability and will be introducing a prototype for new deal and employment zone contracts in April 2007, in order to test the concept.