Support for NEET Young People

Question

What steps he is taking to support young people into employment, education or training. The statistics for the second half of 2024 show the number of young people not in education, employment or training had increased by around 300,000 since 2021.

Question

I draw the Secretary of State's attention to Wiseup Networks, an organisation, based in my constituency, that enables employers across Manchester and London to provide young people with work experience and mentoring opportunities for those with social and economic barriers to work, including young people with special educational needs. Will the Secretary of State meet me and Wiseup Networks to discuss how we can support its vital work?

Question

I am delighted that the Secretary of State is planning to visit the David Nieper Academy in Alfreton later this year. The school recently achieved zero NEETs at age 18 for the second year running by working closely with local industry and teaching employability skills. Local initiatives such as that should be complemented by national programmes. Will the Secretary of State provide an update on the results of the Wakefield pathfinder, which is seeking to trial a new, locally led approach to jobseeker support? Given our success in Alfreton, can he confirm whether Amber Valley could be considered as a location for the next pathfinder?

Question

A young person with undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is more likely not to be in education, employment or training. That is driven by a lack of recognition, treatment and tailored support. The expert-led NHS ADHD taskforce estimates that the cost to the UK economy of unsupported ADHD is £17 billion each year. Will the Secretary of State set out how the Department is working across Government, including through the Milburn review, to ensure that young people with ADHD can access the support they need to thrive in work and reach their potential?

Question

Last week I met with Knowsley chamber of commerce, and we all welcomed the Government's youth guarantee. Some 55,000 placements is a great start, but no scheme starts are currently planned in Knowsley, where the likelihood of young people not being in employment, education or training is higher than average. Will the Secretary of State commit to expanding the scheme and meet me and Knowsley chamber of commerce to discuss how we can get more young people into good jobs in Knowsley?

Question

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust does vital work in my constituency, helping those not in employment, education or training back into work. It runs the Bridging the Gap programme, which provides an employability skills course and a guaranteed interview at the country's best motorway services, Gloucester services. It also ran the Going the Extra Mile project, which supported over 2,000 local residents who were furthest from employment. Can the Secretary of State visit my constituency to see the work that Gloucestershire Gateway Trust is doing, and to discuss how we can work with community and voluntary organisations to tackle these challenges from the ground up?

Question

Might the Secretary of State come to Long Riston to see Oasis services, where I visited on Friday? The services face a fivefold increase in business rates and a £4,000 increase in hiring young people. Does the national youth guarantee not remind you of Ronald Reagan's view that if something is moving, they tax it; if it keeps moving, they regulate it; and when it stops moving, they subsidise it?

Question

A recent Adzuna report shows youth unemployment at an 11-year high and a decline in job vacancies. The new 'jobcentre in your pocket' digital service is not expected until 2028. Will the Secretary of State assure us that all options, including leveraging the private sector and technology, are being considered to accelerate delivery and support jobseekers now, rather than years down the line?

Question

The Centre for Social Justice reported 707,000 young people with university degrees are out of work and on benefits. Employers in Mid Buckinghamshire are seeking apprentices instead of graduates. What is the Secretary of State doing in conjunction with the Department for Education to better signpost young people into pathways for learning and education that will actually help them get a job further down the line?

Question

MYTIME Young Carers in Dorset works to identify and support young people with caring responsibilities. A survey found that one in three young carers aged 16 to 18 are not in education, employment, or training. What steps is the Department taking to level the playing field for young carers alongside their peers, so that they can fulfil their potential?

Question

The MP visited Ventrolla, a specialist heritage window manufacturer in his constituency, concerned about apprenticeship reform. Ventrolla signed a cross-party and cross-organisation letter to the Prime Minister about sector concerns over the changes to apprenticeships. What conversations are Ministers having with businesses like Ventrolla to ensure these changes do not adversely impact the sector and rob young people of opportunities and apprenticeships?

Question

The latest figures show apprenticeship vacancies and adverts have significantly decreased since the Labour Government took office. Apprenticeship adverts have fallen by 27% and the number of vacancies has fallen by 22%. How can the Secretary of State make the promise of a youth guarantee with this alarming reduction in the number of available apprenticeships?