Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the participants in the Work Programme receive a wage from employers in addition to their jobseeker's allowance payments during their placement.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Work experience undertaken through the Work Programme is unpaid. Participants will therefore remain on Jobseeker’s Allowance whilst participating on a work placement.
As the placements are unpaid, employers are not required to pay National Insurance contributions for participants.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether (a) employers and (b) his Department pays travel expenses for participants in the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds
It is the responsibility of Work Programme providers to pay a participant’s travel costs as travel expenses are included within the funding received from DWP as part of the overall contract package. Before starting a work placement the provider should discuss with the participant the practical arrangements for getting to and from the employer, including reimbursement of travel expenses.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people in the Work Programme are protected by the same employment rights as permanent full-time employees.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Providers must comply with their Duty of Care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Act’s associated regulations for all Work Programme participants in the same way as they would for any other member of their workforce whether they are paid by them or not.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what key performance indicators are used to measure the performance of the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Department uses two main measures to monitor performance on the Work Programme. The main Departmental indicator is the proportion of claimants for whom providers have achieved a Job Outcome payment within 12 and 24 months of joining the Work Programme (endorsed by the UK Statistics Authority as the most appropriate measure to gauge Work Programme performance).
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what maximum amount of time an individual can participate in the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Participants are supported by their Work Programme provider for up to 2 years.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provisions are in place to monitor the progress of individual participants in the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Providers have the freedom to develop their own processes to support participants, plan activity, manage and monitor their experience whilst on the Work Programme in line with their delivery model, contract terms and conditions and the provider’s minimum service standards.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has put in place any provisions to ensure that participants in the Work Programme have sufficient time to continue their search for permanent employment.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Work Programme providers must ensure that any activities agreed do not prevent participants from being able to satisfy the conditions for receiving benefit, for example actively seeking work. Before starting a work placement providers are required to discuss with the participant arrangements for continuing their job search efforts.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals (a) below and (b) above the age of 25 took part in the Work Programme in each year since 2011.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The information available for the number of Work Programme referrals, attachments and job outcomes, including by age, is published at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/:
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many participants in the Work Programme were taken on by businesses in the retail sector as part of the Programme in each year since 2011.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Information regarding numbers of participants starting work experience within the Work Programme is not held centrally. To collate this information would exceed the disproportionate costs limit placed on parliamentary questions.
Asked by: Philip Boswell (Scottish National Party - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hours on average are worked each week by participants taking part in the Work Programme.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Work Programme participants do not undertake work unless they are on a work experience placement. Work experience will be over a short period, with restricted hours in recognition of the participant’s limited capability for work. To collate information on average hours worked whilst on a placement would exceed the disproportionate costs limit placed on parliamentary questions.