Robert Rymer

WDTK

Dear Mr Rymer

Thank you for your request for a review of your Freedom of Information Request 2212 (2009) which was received on 19 November 2009. You stated:-

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'new deal Jobs'.

In your original request (our reference FoI 2212) you had asked:

dwp web site states. The New Deals have been the most successful innovation in the history of the UK labour market. During the last 10 years, the New Deals have helped more than 1.8 million people into work. how many of the 1.8 million that new deal helped into work in the last 10 years stayed in the job for more that 4 months.

I confirm that I have considered your request afresh. In conducting my review I have discussed the original reply with the staff involved in drafting it, and with the Department's central Freedom of Information Team.

As a result of these investigations I am satisfied that the officer who replied to your original request in his letter to you of 19 November checked the published benefit and employment statistics on the DWP website, paper and electronic records of responses to Parliamentary Questions and other data requests in his work area, and previous DWP Freedom of Information responses. I am satisfied that he also appropriately consulted analysts in relevant policy areas, and colleagues in Jobcentre Plus to establish whether the information you seek is held in that format.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the Department is not required to create new information to respond to a request, it is only required to provide information it already holds. I have completed further checks with Jobcentre Plus and other relevant areas of the Department and have confirmed that the data you requested is not recorded by the Department. In the New Deal programmes “sustainable work” is defined as work lasting at least 13 weeks, and they are monitored on that basis. Changing this to 4 months would necessitate a change to the administrative computer system, which would take some considerable time and money to achieve, and would not provide retrospective information. We are therefore unable to provide information for the 4 month timescale you have requested.

I therefore uphold the original decision that the information you seek is not available, and am satisfied that all reasonable action was taken to check if it was available

If you have any queries about this review please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team

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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner's Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF www.ico.gov.uk

DWP Central Freedom of Information Team

e-mail: [DWP request email]

FOI ref no 2375 (2009)

14 December 2009