Brown confirms more private companies will get unemployed ready for work

Gordon Brown has confirmed that more private companies will be brought in to get unemployed people ready for work.

The prime minister told business leaders at the CBI annual conference today that a formal announcement on "radical" welfare reform would be made tomorrow.

His comments end weeks of speculation about whether the private sector would be given an increased role in getting people from welfare to work.

Brown said: "Peter Hain will announce how the unemployment service will change for the future. The role of the private sector will be confirmed tomorrow.

"A one-to-one relationship (between private firms and employees) can make a huge difference and you will see a radical opening of the employment service to the private sector," he added.