The Work and Pensions Committee has today published the Government
response to its report on the Plan for
Jobs and employment support programmes.
The report, published in July, called for more focus on
helping young people, the over 50s and people with disabilities
and long-term health conditions find and stay in work.
While the Government has responded positively to the Committee’s
call to pilot a more person-centred approach to support, based on
the US Jobs Plus model, key recommendations on developing a new
self-employment support programme and devolving support to groups
of local authorities have been rejected.
The recommendation that DWP should publish results for each of
its employment programmes on a quarterly basis has also been
rejected. The Committee’s recommendation that eligibility for
support programmes should be widened to those not on benefits is
to be kept under consideration.
Rt Hon Sir MP, Chair of the Work and
Pensions Committee, said:
“I welcome that the Government has accepted one of our key
recommendations to trial a person-centred Jobs Plus approach to
employment support. We saw first-hand when we visited two jobs
Plus programmes in the US earlier this year the transformational
effect that such programmes can have.
“It is disappointing that the Government has rejected our case
for a new self-employment support programme, despite saying it is
committed to helping everyone thrive in the labour market.
There is also no commitment to publishing the results of
employment programmes on a regular basis, which would allow
external evaluation and help DWP to make more informed decisions.
“Effective help for people struggling to find and stay in work
benefits individuals, employers and the wider economy so we will
continue to press the Government to ensure the help on offer is
effective.”
