Judith Collins MP
National Party Welfare Spokeswoman

08 January 2008

MSD concedes performance ‘significantly under target’

A report slamming Labour’s reform of the DPB backs up a fresh admission by the Ministry of Social Development that its performance in this area is ‘significantly under target’, says National’s Welfare spokeswoman, Judith Collins.

The study by the Rotorua People’s Advocacy Centre focused on the Ministry’s obligatory Personal Development and Employment Plan (PDEP) for sole parents.

“The PDEP was hailed as a revolutionary way to help single parents plan for their future when Labour introduced it back in 2003, but it is clear it is anything but.

“The study found a ‘largely negative and disempowering relationship’ between beneficiaries and Work and Income.

“I also note that one participant in the study described the PDEP plan as ‘rubbish’, another said Work and Income didn’t care if she followed through the plan or not and five out of 15 said they didn’t have a PDEP plan.

“Labour is rubbishing the report but the study’s findings back up new information that shows only 59% of PDEPs are completed within the required time frame against a performance standard of 90%.

“Worse still, the quality of the PDEPs was below 60% in the 2006/07 financial year against the Ministry’s standards of no less than 90%.

“MSD has even described its own performance as ‘significantly under target’.

It’s not surprising sole parents aren’t taking this scheme seriously when the Ministry can’t even get its act together.”

ENDS

Attached; MSD 4th quarter report 2006/07 (PDF)

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