Topical Questions

Answer from Therese Coffey

I am conscious that digital inclusion is a key part of the skills issue. We are working collaboratively with the DFE, particularly on digital boot camps, and we have even changed the rules of aspects of universal credit to make sure that people can fully participate in extended courses. We will continue to use and signpost people to whatever resources are available.

Answer from Therese Coffey

DWP staff are real staff at the very frontline. We undertake risk assessments for every single jobcentre. Dealing with trade unions is an operational matter that is ably done by senior officials in my Department. I am confident and we know that our workers are keen to get back into the office and to make sure that they encourage people there. Our mission is to try to help people to get back into work and we know that face-to-face interventions are the most successful way to make that happen.

Answer from Therese Coffey

Probably the most obvious element is the £2 billion of funding for the kickstart scheme. Let me give a recent example of where I have seen kickstart work well: a young man in south-west Scotland started off an apprenticeship and was very quickly set aside, and then his confidence was rebuilt by a work coach and he managed to get into a kickstart placement and is now thriving. It is important that our 27,000 work coaches in well over 700 jobcentres already are making sure that young people are at the forefront in respect of the help we are seeking to provide.

Answer from Guy Opperman

The hon. Gentleman is a member of the Labour party. He will recall that it was the Labour party that set up the Pensions Regulator with operational independence to deal with these matters. He may have forgotten the basis on which the Pensions Regulator was set up, but I have not. It is a matter between the Pensions Regulator and the individual company, but I am sure that he will take that up when he meets the Pensions Regulator.

Answer from Therese Coffey

The hon. Gentleman makes a valid point about the rural elements. That is taken into account in the prioritisation of people we may wish to see in face-to-face interventions. We treat every claimant as an individual in trying to help them at this stage, and none more so than in his part of Scotland.

Answer from Mims Davies

I hugely appreciate the endeavours of all our work coaches, especially and including those in Bolton and Leigh JCPs. The Office for National Statistics says that our new monthly experimental vacancy data suggest that we are almost back to the pre-pandemic level in terms of vacancies; it was over 800,000 in May. Through our Jobcentre Plus provision, we have a wide variety of support available to help employers to fill those vacancies.

Answer from Will Quince

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and confirm that I have written to him on this matter previously. We are committed to recognising the efforts of health and social care workers but follow HMRC's treatment of moneys coming into universal credit, making it difficult to exempt.

Answer from Therese Coffey

First, I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his knighthood; it is well-deserved given his political and public service. The government's measures are temporary and we aim to help people get back into work, which remains the best solution as there are many job vacancies.

Answer from Will Quince

My hon. Friend is correct; the vast majority of veterans smoothly transition to civilian life, with 85% securing employment easily. DWP support includes voluntary entry to work and health programme and armed forces champions network.

Answer from Will Quince

I fundamentally disagree with the hon. Lady; the two-child limit aims at fairness, ensuring those on benefits face similar life choices as others.

Answer from Will Quince

Our economy improvement efforts will focus more on in-work progression to help those in low-paying jobs. We have various programmes such as work coaches, kickstart, restart, job entry targeted support, and sector-based work academy programme to improve financial independence.

Answer from Guy Opperman

On 16 June, we had a pension credit awareness day working with Age UK, Independent Age, various other charitable organisations and the BBC. Pension credit numbers are improving; more work is needed but stakeholders support our efforts to increase uptake.

Answer from Therese Coffey

I join the hon. Gentleman in praising Maesteg jobcentre staff who go above and beyond. We continue to upskill work coaches to signpost people to right services in their area, ensuring they are trained to help with various needs.

Answer from Therese Coffey

My right hon. Friend is right to praise the staff at Harlow jobcentre, and I agree that they do an excellent job. In terms of what could be done with reform of the apprenticeship levy, that is one of the factors we should be considering in ensuring that some of the most disadvantaged young people get that extra foot on the ladder. We are trying to do that in certain ways through kickstart and then to provide elements of a pathway for those young people to make sure they have a longer lasting job, whether they go into an apprenticeship or directly into permanent employment.