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Place-based Employment Support Programmes
10 February 2026
Lead MP
Patrick Hurley
Southport
Lab
Responding Minister
Diana R. Johnson
Tags
NHSEconomyEmployment
Word Count: 8816
Other Contributors: 10
At a Glance
Patrick Hurley raised concerns about place-based employment support programmes in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The MP calls for long-term backing for place-based approaches and proper partnership with community organisations, urging national policy to learn from successful schemes and provide them with the necessary support. He also suggests scaling up and rolling out programmes that have proven effective in different regions of the country.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The MP is concerned about the uncertainty facing place-based employment support programmes and the risk of losing expertise and relationships that these schemes have built. He highlights the importance of localised approaches in addressing unemployment, citing specific examples such as The Big Onion, Zink, Recruitment Junction, and Transform Lives Company. The MP also mentions the need for holistic mental health and wellbeing support and emphasises the value of community organisations in delivering employment support tailored to individual needs.
Alex Easton
Ind
North Down
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that place-based employment schemes are a vital way of converting local strengths into local jobs, and that sector-specific initiatives can be tailored to individual constituencies? In North Down, potential lies in tourism, hospitality, and the marine economy.
Amanda Hack
Lab
North West Leicestershire
Ms Hack highlighted successful place-based employment schemes she has been involved with, including the Connect to Work programme in Durham. She detailed the 'place, train, maintain' model used by DurhamEnable and Triage which focuses on finding suitable jobs for individuals while offering training and ongoing support. She also mentioned the JobsPlus initiative being piloted across 10 sites in England, praising its simplicity and joint commitment from tenants, landlords, and agencies.
Ayoub Khan
Ind
Birmingham Perry Barr
The MP highlighted the severe youth unemployment in Birmingham Perry Barr, with one in every six eligible adults not working. He emphasized the need for growth and job creation through large infrastructure projects like HS2 and housing programmes, while criticising punitive policies that remove universal credit from young people if they do not take up a job.
Calvin Bailey
Lab
Leyton and Wanstead
I am reminded of the JobsPlus scheme in Leyton, where L&Q actively engages with community members. This has led to both young people and their parents being reintegrated into the workforce. The Build Academy in Wanstead provides accessible training for construction skills, making it easier for young learners to enter full-time employment or apprenticeships. Such programmes should be shared nationally to address local issues.
Harriet Cross
Con
Gordon and Buchan
Harriet Cross emphasised the importance of work as a route out of poverty, highlighting the need for tailored local employment support schemes. She mentioned examples such as the restart scheme and JobsPlus programme. However, she expressed concerns about joblessness due to economic challenges and cited statistics like 700,000 university graduates being unemployed and nearly 1 million NEET young people. Cross also highlighted issues in her constituency related to the oil and gas sector.
Jamie Stone
Lib Dem
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Dounreay in my constituency still offers an apprenticeship scheme that boosts youth confidence. I hope other industries will adopt similar programmes to revitalise local economies.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
The MP commended Ayoub Khan's remarks and shared the success of collaborative efforts in Northern Ireland, such as HGV training costing around £3,500 per person and security training programmes that have led to employment opportunities for many.
John Milne
Lib Dem
Horsham
Supporting devolution and localism, John Milne argued for stable funding and resources to support place-based employment strategies. He highlighted issues with the current system, such as delays in Access to Work awards and a lack of tailored support for people with health conditions. He also raised concerns about the negative culture within the benefits system and the need for clarity on long-term funding certainty.
Leigh Ingham
Lab
Stafford
Leigh Ingham discussed the importance of recognising towns like Stafford as economic engines in their own right, highlighting local industries such as GE Vernova and Bostik's UK headquarters. She emphasised the need for tailored employment programmes that align with local employer demand rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Wolverhampton North East
Ms Brackenridge advocated for place-based employment support rooted in local communities. She cited the Wolves at Work employment hub in Wolverhampton as an example, noting that it has helped more than 1,800 residents with job matching and advice. She also mentioned the open door programme providing paid work experience to those who might not otherwise get a first chance. Ms Brackenridge called for scaling up success across different localities to ensure employment opportunities regardless of where one grows up.
Government Response
Diana R. Johnson
Government Response
The Minister praised the efforts to humanise jobcentres and highlighted various employment support programmes such as Connect to Work, which will assist over 300,000 disabled people by the end of the decade. She also mentioned the expansion of the youth guarantee programme with £820 million investment to create around 300,000 opportunities for young people in workplace experience and training. Additionally, she discussed the importance of local partnerships and multi-year funding settlements for sustainable support delivery.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.