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22/02/2013
Work Programme Branded 'Worse Than Doing Nothing'
The governments multi-billion-pound welfare-to-work scheme have been criticised as “extremely poor” by MPs.
The Public Accounts Committee has said the Work Programme only managed to get 3.6% of the people on the scheme off benefits and into secure employment in its first 14 months.
The government has responded saying it was "early days" for the scheme and the committee's report had painted a "skewed picture".
In stronge criticism Labour branded the scheme as “worse than doing nothing.”
"It is shocking that, of the 9,500 former incapacity benefit claimants referred to providers, only 20 people have been placed in a job that has lasted three months, while the poorest-performing provider did not manage to place a single person in the under-25 category into a job lasting six months," Labour MP and committee chair Margaret Hodge said.
(H)
The Public Accounts Committee has said the Work Programme only managed to get 3.6% of the people on the scheme off benefits and into secure employment in its first 14 months.
The government has responded saying it was "early days" for the scheme and the committee's report had painted a "skewed picture".
In stronge criticism Labour branded the scheme as “worse than doing nothing.”
"It is shocking that, of the 9,500 former incapacity benefit claimants referred to providers, only 20 people have been placed in a job that has lasted three months, while the poorest-performing provider did not manage to place a single person in the under-25 category into a job lasting six months," Labour MP and committee chair Margaret Hodge said.
(H)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A few fog patches at first, soon clearing to leave a dry day with some patchy cloud and good sunny spells. Light and variable winds. Feeling mild in sunny spells. Maximum temperature 14 °C.Tonight:Dry and quite chilly overnight under prolonged clear spells and light winds. This will allow a few fog patches to develop in places. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
