Prime Minister Tony Blair, writing exclusively in the Oxford Mail, today hails the New Deal jobs scheme an unqualified success.

In Oxfordshire, 160 of the 660 young people taking part have already found work. And figures out today show that in eight months, 60,000 of the 100,000 youngsters nationally now have jobs, with nearly 40,000 firms pledging support.

Mr Blair said: "We promised at the election that we would give 250,000 young people a new start. Not another scheme to take people off the unemployment count but quality training, the chance to study and help to find new jobs.

"The companies supporting the New Deal, the personal advisers and the New Dealers themselves should be proud of what they have achieved."

The aim of the New Deal is to help youngsters land their first job and keep it. Participants spend four months in a so-called "gateway", discussing their needs, ambitions and options with a personal adviser and preparing to take one of the four options: a subsidised job, full-time education or training, voluntary work or work with the environmental task force.

Employers taking on New Deal youngsters receive a weekly subsidy of up to £60 for each person for up to six months. There is also £750 available towards the costs of training.

*Tony Blair writes: See Features

Story date: Thursday 28 January

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