Commons Sense

Hansard-based summaries and metrics

Employment North Devon 2023-09-04

2023-09-04

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TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Selaine Saxby
▸ Context
North Devon faces employment challenges with high vacancy levels reported by businesses and the public sector.
What steps his Department is taking to increase employment in North Devon constituency. Unemployment in North Devon is well below the national average due to the high proportion of retired people and a lack of homes those working can afford. Businesses and the public sector alike are reporting high vacancy levels. What steps is my hon. Friend taking to ensure that we do not see further business closures because of a lack of homes that workers can afford?
Guy Opperman
The Jobcentre teams in North Devon are working day and night to fill the vacancies in my hon. Friend's constituency. That includes inviting employers into the Jobcentre Plus each week, and having upcoming events on sector-based work academy programmes, including one that is about to happen with the NHS trust in Barnstaple. I visited North Devon in April to meet my hon. Friend and discuss those issues. She has my full support and that of the Department in her work to ensure that we address those problems.
▸ Assessment & feedback
Specific steps to address housing affordability for workers was not directly addressed.
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Selaine Saxby
▸ Context
North Devon faces employment challenges with high vacancy levels reported by businesses and the public sector.
Unemployment in North Devon is well below the national average due to the high proportion of retired people and a lack of homes those working can afford. Businesses and the public sector alike are reporting high vacancy levels. What steps is my hon. Friend taking to ensure that we do not see further business closures because of a lack of homes that workers can afford?
Guy Opperman
I visited North Devon in April to meet my hon. Friend and discuss those issues. She has my full support and that of the Department in her work to ensure that we address those problems. Clearly, those matters are being addressed on an ongoing basis by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
▸ Assessment & feedback
Specific steps to address housing affordability were not directly addressed.
Response accuracy