19/05/2004

Government proposes shake up to New Deal scheme

The government has unveiled plans to reform the New Deal scheme - a shake up which it hopes will get 600,000 more people into work and cut bureaucracy from employment programmes.

The New Deal plans includes measures to allow Jobcentre Plus advisers to individually tailor training and support, introducing tougher and more frequent interviews, and creating programmes to help people with specific problems, like former drug addicts, alcoholics or homeless people.

Chancellor Gordon Brown said that the ultimate aim was to achieve full employment in every community. Under the reform plans, there would be "more choice, more devolution, more personalisation to extend and strengthen the New Deal", he said.

However, the Tories have described the shake up as "no more than an admission of failure".

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary David Willetts said that the proposed changes could simply end up costing the hard-pressed taxpayer yet more money.

He added: "The New Deal has not worked. Very few people have gone on to long-term sustainable jobs, and many more have ended up back on unemployment benefit or shifted to disability benefit."

(gmcg)

Related Northern Ireland Recruitment News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

10 February 2015
Purepipe To Create Six New Jobs
Belfast-based Purepipe is investing £250,000 and creating six new jobs as part of plans to boost sales in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Invest Northern Ireland has offered the company £45,000 towards its expansion which involves investing in new state-of-the-art specialised pipe manufacturing equipment needed to target new business.
17 May 2012
200 New Jobs For Galway Medical Firm
Leading medical devices firm Merit Medical Systems has created 200 new jobs. The first, which makes products for use in cardiology, radiology and endoscopy, is to take on the new staff at its 20 million euro facility in Parkmore business park in Galway.
17 October 2012
Alliance Calls For New Measures To Tackle Unemployment
Alliance Chief Whip Stewart Dickson MLA has said that the Executive must invest in new measures such as the Green New Deal to tackle the unemployment rate. His comments come after the unemployment rate rose by over 1% in the last quarter to over 8.1%.
13 May 2009
Green's MEP Hopeful Promises Thousands Of NI Building Jobs
Green Party MEP candidate Steven Agnew has said tens of thousands of jobs could be created in the construction sector under a 'Green New Deal' for Northern Ireland. Mr Agnew said the adoption of the scheme across Europe could stimulate over five million jobs.
11 November 2013
Indeed Announces Expansion Plans
Indeed has announced expansion plans for its Dublin-based Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters, adding more than 100 new employees in the next 12 months.