To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals have been on the (a) new deal 25 plus, (b) new deal 50 plus, (c) new deal for partners, (d) new deal for disabled people, (e) new deal for young people, (f) new deal for lone parents and (g) new deal for musicians programmes more than once in a year by region since their inception. (268688)

The available information has been placed in the Library.

New deal for musicians is an integral part of new deal for young people and new deal 25+ and as such is not recorded separately.

Information for new deal 50+ and new deal for partners is temporarily unavailable while a potential problem with these breakdowns is investigated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether a cap may be placed on referrals to (a) New Deal for Young People, (b) New Deal 25 plus, (c) Employment Zones, (d) New Deal for Disabled People, (e) New Deal for Lone Parents and (f) other New Deal programmes as a result of (i) capacity and (ii) budgetary constraints. (271718)

From 6 April Jobcentre Plus started delivering the enhanced Jobseekers Regime in the 28 Jobcentre Plus districts in Phase 1. In July 2008, the existing New Deal (including Private Sector Led) and Employment Zone (incorporating new deal for lone parents) providers were notified that their contracts would end in April 2009, with the Flexible New Deal providers due to start delivering tailored support to customers from October 2009.

Following consultation with the existing providers (in December 2008), smoother transitional arrangements between April and October 2009 were agreed involving additional referrals to existing New Deal and Employment Zone providers being maintained until June 2009, with those services being continued alongside the enhanced Jobseekers Regime. The number of additional referrals was agreed with providers at a level that will enable customers to complete their provision and be returned to Jobcentre Plus on a phased basis by the end of September 2009.

New Deal and Employment Zone referrals in Phase 2 areas will continue as normal and will not be capped as a result of capacity or budgetary constraints. New deal for disabled people is not affected by these arrangements.

Jobseekers in all areas also have access to the recently introduced extra help for the newly unemployed and an expanded range of work and training options to provide jobs through recruitment subsidies, support to start a business, work-related training and volunteering opportunities.

In his Budget 2009 Report the Chancellor announced an additional £1.7 billion for the Department for Work and Pensions to deal with the increased workload and associated pressures on Jobcentre Plus and employment programme providers resulting from changes in the economy. This is in addition to the £1.3 billion announced at the pre-Budget report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding her Department has allocated from (a) the £1.7 billion funding allocation announced in the Budget 2009 and (b) the £1.3 billion announced in the pre-Budget report in November 2008 to Flexible New Deal; and if she will make a statement. (277071)

[holding answer 1 June 2009]: The Budget 2009 announced additional funding for the long-term unemployed of £620 million in addition to £350 million that had been announced at the pre-Budget report. Most of the provision for long-term unemployed people will be provided through the Flexible New Deal over the next two years, although phased implementation means that there will still be some expenditure on New Deal and Employment Zones programmes over the next two years.