Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Education, Employment and Training: Kensington and Bayswater

Monday 12 May 2025 · 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 1 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Joe Powell visited the North Kensington jobcentre to discuss support for young people and collaboration with the North Kensington Centre for Skills.
  • The Minister thanked Joe Powell and highlighted the dedicated team of five work coaches for young people at the jobcentre.
  • Sir Ashley Fox raised concern over the Employment Rights Bill's impact on small businesses, citing an increase in costs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joe Powell Lab Kensington and Bayswater
Education Employment
Context

The MP visited the North Kensington jobcentre to understand support for young people and discussed potential collaboration with a local college. The area is covered by a youth guarantee trailblazer funded by the Greater London Authority.

Question

I recently visited the North Kensington jobcentre to learn about its support for young people and discuss the potential for working more closely with our brilliant local college, the North Kensington Centre for Skills, so that people can access opportunities in industries such as trades and housing. Will the Minister outline what more the Department is doing to bring together colleges and jobcentres for young people?

Answer from The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)

I thank my hon. Friend both for his question and for going to see the team at the North Kensington jobcentre; there is a really dedicated team of five work coaches specifically for young people. I am working with colleagues in the Department for Education on the development of Skills England so that in the future our work coaches—for example, the five who serve his constituency and look after young people—will have much closer access to get them into courses and get them building to move our economy and their careers on.

Answered
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Q2 Ashley Fox Con Bridgwater
Employment Business & Trade
Context

The Government’s own impact assessment indicates that the Employment Rights Bill will increase costs for businesses by £5 billion, with small businesses bearing most of this burden. The additional national insurance charges are also noted.

Question

The Government’s own impact assessment of their Employment Rights Bill says that it will increase the cost to businesses by £5 billion, which will be borne mostly by small businesses. Does the Minister share my concern that, when combined with the additional national insurance charges on employers, that will reduce the opportunities for young people in my constituency just as much as for young people in Kensington and Bayswater?

Answer from The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)

I have said already in this session of questions that we have changed the DWP to serve employers much better, and that is an important shift. I understand that Conservative Members do not want people in this country to have greater rights at work, sick pay if they need it or secure hours if they are on an exploitative zero-hours contract. Unfortunately for them, last year the public voted for the opposite.

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific concern about the impact of costs to businesses and young people's job prospects.

How: Deflected To Broader Political Stance, Did Not Address Cost Implications

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