To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what form sanctions will take in the progression to work pathfinders for participants who fail to engage with support without good cause. (255136)

Within the progression to work pathfinders we plan to test the key principles of the model of escalating sanctions set out in “Realising Potential: A Vision for Personalised Conditionality and Support”, an independent review published by Professor Gregg in December 2008. In the White Paper “Raising Expectations And Increasing Support: Reforming Welfare For The Future” (Cm7506), published in December 2008, we set out our intention to test an escalating sanctions model and are currently working up the detail of how this model will operate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many payments have been made in each region to date under the employers' golden hello scheme announced by his Department on 12 January 2009. (269015)

We announced on 12 January that a new six month offer would be launched in April 2009. That offer has been in place since 6 April 2009. Information on payments will be available at the appropriate time.