To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the definition of work under the Work programme will be changed after the change to the working hours limits for working tax credit in April 2012.

The change to the working hours limits for working tax credit in April 2012 does not affect the definition of work under the Work programme. In order to qualify for a job outcome payment and subsequent sustainment payments a Work programme participant must be in employment and off benefit for the length of time specified for their participant group. The Department has not specified the number of hours a participant must work each week for employment to count towards Work programme outcomes—the key criteria are simply that the participant is in employment and off benefit.