To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans she has had to review the scheme for providing businesses with recruitment subsidy via Jobcentre Plus. (278477)

The Policy Studies Institute has been commissioned by DWP to undertake an independent evaluation of the entire six month offer of extra support for jobseekers, of which the recruitment subsidy is one element. Findings will inform understanding of the operation and effectiveness of the recruitment subsidy. The first published report from the evaluation will be available in December 2009.

As we do for all our initiatives, the Department will continue to monitor the recruitment subsidy and in light of this, and information emerging from the evaluation, will make any necessary adjustments to the recruitment subsidy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have applied for a work trial placement in each of the last six months. (278851)

Information on the number of people who have applied for a work trial in each of the last six months is not available. This is because customers do not, in the commonly accepted sense, ‘apply’ for a work trial. A work trial may be arranged by Jobcentre Plus if, at the end of the normal recruitment process for a current vacancy, either the employer or customer (or both) has any lingering doubts about suitability.

Information on the number of work-trial starts in each of the last six months is available and is shown in the following table.