COMMONS

Work and Pensions Committee announces forthcoming evidence session on the Work Programme: experience of different user groups

27 February 2013

The Work and Pensions Select Committee will hear evidence from Work Programme prime contractors and the welfare-to-work industry body, the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) on Wednesday 6 March. 

This will be the fourth oral evidence session in the Committee’s inquiry into the Work Programme, the Government’s contracted employment programme which is designed to help a wide range of long-term unemployed people return to sustained work.

The Work Programme was launched in June 2011. The Committee published a report on the design and commissioning of the Work Programme in May 2011.

The current inquiry is following up some of the issues raised in that report, with a focus on the quality of services and the experience of participants, particularly those who may be considered harder to help into sustained employment.

Details of the session are as follows:

Time/date: Wednesday 6 March at 9.30 am
Location:  A Committee room at the House of Commons to be confirmed

Witnesses

  • Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive, Employment Related Services Association (ERSA)
  • Sean Williams, Managing Director, G4S Employment Support Services
  • Andrew Conlan-Trant, Director of Labour Market Services, Rehab Group
  • Richard Clifton, Business Development Director, Shaw Trust and CDG

Further evidence sessions are planned as follows. All meetings will be in a House of Commons Committee room and open to the public. All dates, times and witness details subject to confirmation:


Time/date: Wednesday 13 March at 9.30 am
Witnesses: Employers and employers’ organisations

Time/date: Wednesday 20 March at 4.30 pm
Witnesses: Mr Mark Hoban MP, Minister for Employment, and officials, DWP