Lone Parent Employment

: The honest answer is a bit of both. We want to continue learning, and we are dealing with such an innovative cutting-edge area of public policy that we still have to experiment and see what works in breaking down the barriers for lone parents. In addition, we can develop the infrastructure of support for lone parents only as we can afford to do so. However, we have made terrifically rapid progress and the new deal is very cost-efficient as regards entry into work for lone parents, even in comparison with other aspects of the new deal, all of which have produced good results for the economy and the country. We have set ourselves the target of an employment rate of 70 per cent. for lone parents by 2010. That means increasing the number of lone parents in work by more than 320,000. If are to achieve that objective, we reckon that we would lift a further 200,000 children out of poverty and reduce the number of children living in workless households by up to a further 450,000.