Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19: Inequality in Unemployment Rates

Wednesday 22 September 2021 · 2 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial discussions are ongoing to address labour market disparities between ethnic groups.
  • A national mentoring programme is in place to support unemployed young ethnic minority jobseekers.
  • A programme focusing on young black men in Hackney involves collaboration between jobcentres, local councils, and charities.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Meg Hillier Labour (Co-op) Hackney South and Shoreditch
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from the significant increase in unemployment rates among young black people compared to young white people during the COVID-19 outbreak, as reported by various labour market studies.

Question

I am concerned about the reasons for the disproportionate rise in the unemployment rate of young black individuals relative to their young white counterparts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Can you elaborate on any discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding this issue?

Answer from Guy Opperman

Discussions are ongoing across government departments to better understand labour market disparities between ethnic groups. A national mentoring programme is in place, offering specialised support for unemployed young ethnic minority jobseekers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not specify any concrete discussions or commitments with the Secretary of State regarding unemployment disparity among young black people.

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Q2 Meg Hillier Labour (Co-op) Hackney South and Shoreditch
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

Statistics show a significant increase in young black unemployment compared to young white unemployment at the end of the last quarter, raising concerns about long-term economic impact on this demographic.

Question

The recent data reveals an exponential rise in young black unemployment relative to young white unemployment. Given that no improvement has been observed, what specific programmes will be implemented to prevent a generation of young black people from enduring further economic scarring?

Answer from Guy Opperman

The Government are actively addressing this issue through a programme focusing on young black men in Hackney, which involves collaboration between jobcentres, local councils, and charities. The aim is to utilise the potential of successful young black men while tackling specific inequalities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not provide details on specific programmes or commitments beyond mentioning an existing programme in Hackney without concrete actions for addressing the broader issue.

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