Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Unemployment Trends

Monday 14 September 2020 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial assessment shows unemployment was little changed over the second quarter, with 1.3 million people unemployed.
  • Minister stated plans for a pop-up business school and a mentoring circle with Maritime UK Solent in Portsmouth to support young people.
  • Question raised about extending the furlough scheme beyond October to address projected high unemployment in the coming months.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Justin Madders Lab Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Employment
Context

The MP raises concerns about recent unemployment statistics in his constituency.

Question

What recent assessment has the Minister made of trends in the level of unemployment?

Answer from Mims Davies

Unemployment was little changed over the second quarter, with the latest official Office for National Statistics figures showing unemployment at 1.3 million. This is due to the unprecedented package of support the Chancellor put in place, protecting millions of jobs through the coronavirus job retention scheme and the self-employment income support scheme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question asked for a recent assessment but the answer provided general trends without specific new analysis or updates since the last data point.

How: General Trends, Unspecified Package Of Support

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Q2 Stephen Morgan Lab Portsmouth South
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP mentions rising unemployment and calls for the extension of the job retention scheme to protect workers in Portsmouth.

Question

Unemployment is soaring, uptake in benefits has skyrocketed and marginalised communities are bearing the brunt. Will the Minister urge the Chancellor to extend the job retention scheme to stop this vital safety net being snatched away from those struggling most in Portsmouth?

Answer from Mims Davies

We are currently working with a pop-up business school in his constituency and, coming up, he may be interested to know that in his local jobcentre there is a new mentoring circle with Maritime UK Solent, which up to 20 young people will get a chance to be part of, seeing the different employer pathways that are available in Portsmouth. He will be interested to know that our work coach recruitment to help people back into work is open.

Not addressed: The question asked for an extension of the job retention scheme but the answer provided details about local initiatives without addressing the specific ask.

How: Local Business School, Mentoring Circle

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Q3 Matt Western Lab Warwick and Leamington
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP raises concerns about upcoming unemployment due to the end of the furlough scheme.

Question

As my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan) just said, we face a tsunami of unemployment over the coming six to eight months. Why should the furlough scheme end in October?

Answer from Mims Davies

There is so much good work going on in the DWP and our JCPs locally to tackle what the hon. Gentleman has spoken about. There was an amazing opportunity just recently in his constituency regarding sector-based work academy programmes, and new virtual jobs fairs for kickstart are coming up in his constituency.

Not addressed: The question asked why the government plans to end the furlough scheme but the answer provided information about upcoming job fair opportunities without addressing the specific ask.

How: Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes, Virtual Jobs Fairs

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Q4 Justin Madders Lab Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP is concerned about the impact on employment if the furlough scheme ends in October.

Question

There is no doubt that the unemployment situation, bad as it is, would have been so much worse had it not been for the various schemes the Minister has talked about. Can the Minister tell us what estimate the Department has made of the level of unemployment this coming Christmas?

Answer from Mims Davies

There is so much good work going on in the DWP and our JCPs locally to tackle what the hon. Gentleman has spoken about. There was an amazing opportunity just recently in his constituency regarding sector-based work academy programmes, and new virtual jobs fairs for kickstart are coming up in his constituency.

Not addressed: The question asked for an estimate of unemployment levels but the answer provided information about local initiatives without addressing the specific ask.

How: Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes, Virtual Jobs Fairs

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