Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Youth Unemployment

Monday 13 November 2023 · 5 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The level of youth unemployment has decreased by 43.8% since 2010.
  • The MinisterDWP
  • 9%2010

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lee Anderson Reform Ashfield
Employment
Context

The question focuses on the Department's actions to reduce youth unemployment.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to reduce youth unemployment. I visit businesses on a weekly basis, and one thing they tell me in Ashfield is that they struggle to recruit apprentices because of English and maths requirements. What more can we do to get those young people into apprenticeships and support them with their maths and English at a later stage?

Answer from Mims Davies

The level of youth unemployment is down by 43.8% since 2010, with a Government commitment to deliver targeted support through our expanded DWP youth offer. Apprentices are funded to achieve English and maths qualifications by the end of their apprenticeships, with a 54% boost in the rate for those qualifications from January. We also pilot flexible English and maths requirements for young people with learning difficulties or disabilities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about easing recruitment barriers was not directly addressed; instead general support measures were mentioned.

How: Under Review

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Q2 Lee Anderson Reform Ashfield
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

Economic inactivity due to ill health has more than doubled for 18 to 24-year-olds over the past decade.

Question

Why does the Minister think economic inactivity due to ill health has more than doubled for 18 to 24-year-olds over the past decade? Could she also please look again at the closure of the local jobcentre in Halton Lea in my constituency because of building safety issues?

Answer from Mims Davies

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question—I will happily take away his second point, have a look at it and get back to him in writing. I want to assure that DWP youth hubs together in one location help young people who have been going through difficult times because of covid, local youth experts and partnerships come together to overcome barriers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about the closure was not directly addressed; instead general support for youth hubs was discussed.

How: Will Look Into

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Q3 Mike Amesbury Lab
Employment
Context

Anglo American and its contractors have just announced 70 new job opportunities at the Woodsmith mine near Whitby.

Question

Does the Minister agree that these sorts of opportunities in the mining industry are just the sorts of opportunities that young people need to grasp with both hands?

Answer from Mims Davies

I thank my right hon. Friend for his question, which goes back to the point about knowing what jobs are just down the road for young people so that the labour market comes closer to home for them. That is what our youth employability work coaches do and we saw with the kickstart programme: 163,000 jobs were created by employers who want young people in their businesses.

Answered
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Q4 Robert Goodwill Con
Employment Children & Families
Context

The latest figures show a 7% youth unemployment claimant count in the constituency of Denton and Reddish.

Question

Given that the share of young people not in full-time employment or education rose last year, what more is the Minister doing to make sure that young people in places such as Denton and Reddish get the life chances they deserve?

Answer from Mims Davies

I absolutely agree that it is right that young people get the opportunities they deserve. Since September 2020, the DWP's youth offer has seen over 600,000 starts. Our comprehensive support for young people now encompasses those from age 16.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about additional actions was not directly addressed; general commitment to opportunities was stated.

How: Under Review

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Q5 Andrew Gwynne Ind Gorton and Denton
Employment
Context

The current youth employment rate is being compared to other countries and the aftermath of a financial crisis.

Question

What account can she give for the fact that, even after 13 and a half years of Conservative Government, we have worse youth unemployment than Ireland, Norway and the Czech Republic? What on earth has gone wrong?

Answer from Mims Davies

The current youth employment rate is 53.9%, up three percentage points since 2010, with around 140 new youth hubs supporting complex needs of young people across communities. I humbly suggest that the hon. Member goes and looks at the changes happening to see the difference being made in communities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for an explanation was not directly addressed; general improvements were mentioned instead.

How: Under Review

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