To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009, Official Report, column 583W, on work experiences: young people, how Jobcentre Plus secures placements on each of the (a) work, (b) voluntary sector and (c) environmental taskforce options for participants in the New Deal for Young People. (302240)

Jobcentre Plus does not directly secure placements for the New Deal for Young People options. It is the New Deal providers, as part of their contract with Jobcentre Plus, who source and secure suitable placements for all three options according to customer demand.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009, Official Report, column 583W, on work experience: young people, what steps Jobcentre Plus is taking to monitor the efficacy of each option available under the New Deal for Young People in helping the participant into work. (302247)

DWP welfare to work providers are required to meet the quality and delivery standards set out in the contract specification for New Deal for Young People , and are subject to contract management and monitoring by DWP.

New Deal Prime Contracts are subject to external inspection by Ofsted in England and Estyn in Wales. This is to provide independent assurance, through the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, that publicly funded provision is delivering a quality experience to our individual customers.

In addition, providers are expected to follow the DWP Quality Framework which promotes the commitment to quality improvement through continuous self-assessment and development planning. Areas for improvement identified through self-assessment and inspection are addressed through the DWP contract management review process.

An external inspection regime will be introduced in Scotland by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) from January 2010.