Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Employment Support for Young People: Covid-19

Monday 14 September 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department is implementing the kickstart scheme and a new youth offer to support young people into employment.
  • Minister thanked for her work and the DWP team for supporting constituents during the pandemic.
  • DWP staff in Workington are being thanked for their hard work managing claims during the pandemic.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mark Jenkinson
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from the need to assist young people entering the job market during and after the pandemic.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to support young people into employment as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased?

Answer from Mims Davies

As well as the kickstart scheme, I am delighted to be the Minister bringing forward our new youth offer. Focused on those under 25, we are supporting our young people via a structured 13-week programme, rolling out new youth hubs across local communities, and boosting support for young people with our new DWP youth employability work coaches. This offer includes support to get into apprenticeships, traineeships and sector-based work academy programmes.

Answered
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Q2 Virginia Crosbie
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question addresses the support provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to innovators and entrepreneurs.

Question

I thank the Minister for her answer and the whole DWP team for the support they have given my constituents during this exceptional time. In my constituency of Ynys Môn, I am working with M-SParc, Coleg Menai and the Bangor University team to put together an innovative jobs fair. Along with Alison Cork and Lynn McCann, I am putting together a Make It Your Business event to support women entrepreneurs. How is the Minister supporting innovation and entrepreneurs?

Answer from Mims Davies

Supporting the self-employed and inspiring entrepreneurship is a real focus for me as the Employment Minister. I had the pleasure of visiting north Wales not that long ago, back in January, where I met a lady who had started her own innovative charity supporting other young women to succeed and thrive. The DWP's new enterprise allowance scheme is open to claimants to support new and existing businesses to grow and thrive.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific schemes or initiatives for entrepreneurs are not fully detailed beyond mentioning the Enterprise Allowance Scheme.

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Q3 Mark Jenkinson
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question is about acknowledging the efforts of DWP staff in managing increased workloads due to the pandemic and continuing their efforts towards tackling youth unemployment.

Question

The local DWP team in my Workington constituency, who I met on Friday, have worked incredibly hard throughout this pandemic to ensure that claims are being managed in a timely and efficient manner despite the huge increase in their workload. Will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to them as they enter the next phase of their plans to tackle youth unemployment and under-employment?

Answer from Mims Davies

I join my hon. Friend in his thanks to all our DWP staff who have worked so extremely hard during the pandemic. The DWP is supporting all claimants in focusing on getting back into work. The jobcentre in his constituency is playing a vital role in his community through key outreach, including the Maryport GP surgery where our work coaches are based every Tuesday.

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