Kim Catcheside: Every lone parent with child under five to be invited to meet jobs advisor

The scheme, which went nationwide on Monday, was launched in pilot form last year and is part of an attempt by the government to reduce the money spent on benefits by putting more people back to work.

Alastair Darling: 100,000 parents could get new work

But opposition parties are questioning the worth of a programme in which only one in 10 of those invited for interview with a personal adviser have so far found work.

But speaking on BBC Radio 4's The World at One programme the Social Security Secretary Alastair Darling said that the pilot project represented "a very encouraging start".

Alastair Darling: "Very good deal indeed"

He said that if the 5,000 people who had found work under the pilot schemes was repeated nationwide it would result in 100,000 new jobs for lone parents.

He added that he was not surprised that few people came for interviews. "It can be very difficult to do other things when you have the responsibilities of children all the time. But once you get people to come in, nine out of 10 agreed to join the New Deal."

Lone parents will be helped back to work

Asked to rule out compulsory interviews with benefit cuts as a penalty, he declined saying: "We are examining ways in which we can provide a better service to people.

"At the same time I want to see how we can better ensure people fulfil their responsibilities and take advantage of what the government is doing to try and help.

"There is a world of difference between someone being forced to take a job and people being given the opportunity to find out what is on offer."

'Disappointing figures'

Backing for the idea of compulsory attendance of interviews has come from Labour's former Welfare Reform Minister Frank Field who admitted he was "disappointed" at the numbers attending interview in the pilot schemes.

As from Monday the scheme is now open to all lone parents with children over five claiming benefits.

Pilot figures

According to government figures, as of September 25, 48,394 letters had been sent out to lone parents, with children of school age, in the eight pilot areas.

The BBC's Niall Dickson examines the New Deal's chances of success

Altogether 26,934 arranged an initial interview and 24,413 actually turned up. Of those, 17,658 signed up for the New Deal.

For the Liberal Democrats David Rendel told the World at One the scheme's true effectiveness could not yet be assessed.

He added: "It's no good getting people interviews which will allow them to take up jobs if there aren't jobs available for them, and I suspect a large part of the problem may be, particularly for lone parents, that the number of suitable jobs is rather few and far between."

The BBC's Niall Dickson talks to lone mums about their experiences

But Shadow Social Security spokesman Iain Duncan Smith said the Jobseekers' Allowance was more effective as it provided a "carrot and stick" approach.