Unemployment

Answer from Pat McFadden

Headline unemployment is below its average rate under the previous Government, and inactivity is falling as more people actively seek work. Some 381,000 more people have moved into work over the past year.

Answer from Pat McFadden

The hon. Member will be aware of the national insurance tax break under which no employer national insurance contributions are payable for workers under 21, unless they earn more than £50,000, which not too many workers under the age of 21 do.

Answer from Pat McFadden

I did talk about unemployment. As I said, the unemployment figures are lower, on average, than when the hon. Gentleman's party was in power. We are, of course, doing everything we can to help people into work, which is why I referred to the measures that we are taking, including the youth guarantee and increased apprenticeship starts.

Answer from Pat McFadden

As I said, no employer national insurance contributions are payable for workers under the age of 21, and we believe that workers should be decently paid for the work they do. We are responding to the particular challenge of youth unemployment, which I acknowledge is there, and was there when the Conservative party was in power, with active measures such as the youth guarantee and more youth apprenticeship starts.

Answer from Pat McFadden

I congratulate the business club—such organisations play a valuable role in our constituencies. The hon. Lady asks what measures we are taking, and I am grateful to the Chancellor for the extra funding made available in the Budget for the youth guarantee. That will gives hundreds of thousands more training and work experience places to young people and, importantly, will provide funding for the long-term youth unemployed to gain six months' work, paid at the national minimum wage for 25 hours a week, so that young people get used to the discipline and duty of turning up, doing a job, and experiencing the sense of pride and purpose that comes with having a job.

Answer from Pat McFadden

My hon. Friend asks an excellent question. The fact that net migration is falling to lower levels than we have seen for some time gives added urgency to a question that has often been posed: why do we not do more to train our own workers? That is precisely why I am prioritising youth apprenticeship starts, which fell by 40% under the previous Government. We must arrest that decline and ensure that we respond to the new situation of falling levels of net migration by training more of our own young people.

Answer from Pat McFadden

What it will mean for young people in my hon. Friend's constituency, and many others, is intensive work coach training, and the chance of training or work experience. If that does not get them into a job, ultimately it will mean a subsidised job, where they get six months of work experience, paid at the national minimum wage for 25 hours a week. The last thing we want is people leaving education and going on to a life on benefits.

Answer from Pat McFadden

I am relieved to hear that the number of young people not in education, employment or training is dropping in Harlow. The number of such people rose by a quarter of a million in the last few years of the Conservative party's time in government, and they did absolutely nothing about it. Bringing skills into the Department for Work and Pensions gives us the chance to bring skills policy and labour market policy closer together, to help young people get that vital chance of a first job.

Answer from Pat McFadden

The hon. Member is new to his position. The OBR forecast employment to rise in every year of the forecast period.

Answer from Pat McFadden

The Liberal Democrats support extra spending but oppose revenue-raising measures. If they want NHS waiting lists to fall and more spending, they must support revenue-raising measures.