Helping People into Employment Cumbria, Cheadle and Darlington 2024-02-05
2024-02-05
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Darlington constituency faces job vacancy challenges.
What steps he is taking to help fill job vacancies in Darlington constituency?
Across the country our fantastic work coaches are supporting people to secure and progress in work. In Kendal, Cheadle and Darlington, jobcentres are working with local and national employers to match jobseekers with vacancies through job fairs, sector-based work academy programmes and apprenticeships.
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Assessment & feedback
Darlington specifically was not addressed in detail despite the question asking for steps taken there.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Local businesses are facing challenges due to a shrinking workforce.
I do indeed celebrate the work of the Kendal jobcentre. It does a fantastic job but one problem is that it has too small a workforce. This week we mourn the loss of yet another Lake District business, this time a bistro in Coniston, due in part to the loss of affordable homes and to restrictive visa rules, both of which are shrinking our local workforce. Will the Minister meet me and local Cumbrian business leaders to develop a plan to tackle Cumbria's workforce crisis?
I am happy to meet the hon. Gentleman, but I also gently say that this is about other Government Departments as well. I will certainly work with him as far as employers go, under my remit.
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Assessment & feedback
The need for collaboration across departments was acknowledged but no concrete plan or timeline was provided.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Young people placed in the civil service face delays due to a lengthy application process.
Speaking to Stockport jobcentre last week, I heard about the success of the movement to work scheme, which places young people with employers, including in the civil service. However, the lengthy civil service application process is delaying placements. Will my hon. Friend look into how the process could be streamlined and accelerated, and join me on a visit to Stockport jobcentre?
I know that senior civil servants are engaged in piloting an initiative that will help to speed this up, because we need to place those candidates more quickly and ensure that we get them into work swiftly. I would love to visit Stockport and add its jobcentre to the growing list that I have visited.
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Assessment & feedback
While a pilot initiative was mentioned, no specific details or timelines were provided regarding streamlining the process.
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Darlington's Jobcentre Plus Facebook page was established to help job seekers.
I put on record my thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman) for his work to establish the Jobcentre Plus Facebook pages, of which Darlington's was the first. Will my hon. Friend the Minister outline how successful that page has been and what further plans she has to develop accessible social media job advertising?
We know that social media helps, and that 40 to 50-year-olds in particular enjoy engaging with a digital platform when they are looking for work. We have had instances in the past of people thanking us when they have been given interviews online. It is important that posts are accessible and we are working to ensure that this is the case.
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Assessment & feedback
The success metrics were not provided, and no specific future plans for social media job advertising were outlined.
Response accuracy