To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) the communications she has had with potential and confirmed employers regarding the postponement of the JobStart scheme; (ii) how many employers have pulled out of the scheme after initially signing up; and (iii) any concerns she has regarding the loss of potential employees on the scheme to the Kickstart scheme in Great Britain.

The draft Executive budget presents very significant challenges for the Executive and across departments with a constrained Spending Review outcome. All consultation responses will be taken into account in finalising the Budget. No decisions on the final outcome have been made yet.

I hope to be able to fully engage with employers on an updated position regarding the JobStart scheme as soon as the outcome of the budget exercise is known.

Employers can only participate in the JobStart scheme once it has been launched. As no employers have been able to register for the scheme just yet no employers have pulled out.

Young people living here are not eligible for Kickstart.

I am continuing to engage with Executive colleagues and my officials regarding the JobStart scheme.