Work Programme in “crisis”

Guardian is reporting that the defence minister Nick Harvey has written a letter to the employment minister Chris Grayling, which details his concerns over the Work Programme. The letter reveals unease about whether the programme has been structured properly for a deteriorating labour market.

Mr Harvey, who is a a Liberal Democrat, expresses concerns that large private-sector firms working on the scheme are able to take advantage of small local charities struggling with cash flow. They report that he wrote that “Clearly the funding model is in deep trouble,” in the letter to Grayling on 7 February after hearing the concerns of small providers in his North Devon constituency. He added: “The real concern is that the private sector will cherry pick the ruins of the charities concerned.”

Welfare to work project in crisis, Lib Dem minister warns Chris Grayling