WELFARE TO WORK

That this House notes the increasing use of private sector contractors to place the unemployed into work; believes that the targets set for these contractors to find sustainable work, or employment retained after 13 weeks, are unacceptably low; further notes that in the case of Hackney, the Working Links contract stipulates that 42 per cent. of the 18 to 24 year olds they see and 37 per cent. of the 25 plus age group residents they place in employment retain their jobs after 13 weeks; believes that these low targets will mean that too many unemployed people will have the demoralising experience of being pressured into low quality employment and then finding themselves unemployed a few weeks later; further believes that temporary re-employment is no substitute for long-term employment; and calls on the Government to raise these targets.