Jim Knight (Minister of State (the South West), Regional Affairs; South Dorset, Labour)

The Department for Work and Pensions uses independent experts to research and evaluate the effectiveness of its labour market programmes. This evidence is published in the Department's Research Report series, which can be found at

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/

Jobcentre Plus effectiveness is specifically assessed using a range of monthly targets. These targets are designed to increase productivity, efficiency and effectiveness. The Department for Work and Pensions regularly reviews these targets and progress towards them. More details including performance against targets can be found at:

www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/jcp/Aboutus/Jobcentreplusperformance/2009_-_10_Targets/index.html

Jobcentre Plus has deployed extra resources to deliver services to customers following announcements in the pre-Budget report and Budget 2009. It has increased front line staffing by around 15,000. The people who have been recruited are employed on a wide range of customer facing roles, providing support to customers through job search advice and benefit processing.

Jobcentre Plus has also introduced a wide range of new measures. It has:

strengthened and expanded the Rapid Response Service which offers help and support even before redundancy. Since November 2008, more than 3,000 employers have accepted support offered by the Rapid Response Service.

extended the help available through Local Employment Partnerships to provide help for the newly unemployed. It met its target of finding jobs for 250,000 priority customers a year early. In September 2009, Government announced a new target to get another 500,000 people into work through local employment partnerships by the end of 2010.

provided additional support from day one, including help for the newly unemployed to get up to date with the latest job search techniques.

introduced extra help for customers at the start of a claim, giving them advice within three days of claiming, plus extra help for professionals and executives. At six months, customers are offered recruitment subsidies, work-focused training or volunteering options, and help to start a business.

Budget 2009 included a significant new package of support for people, particularly young adults, and included an additional £1.1 billion for a new Future Jobs Fund and a Young Person's Guarantee—a guaranteed offer of a job, work-focused training, or other activity to all 18 to 24-year-olds before they have reached the 12 month stage of their claim to Jobseeker's Allowance. Furthermore, over 150 top British employers are supporting Backing Young Britain, a national campaign to create new opportunities for thousands of young people during the recession.