Commons
Oral Questions
29 June 2026
4 contributions
Youth Guarantee
As I said, earlier this spring we announced the expansion of youth hubs to all planned areas and the launch of phase one of the jobs guarantee for the long-term unemployed, first in six areas and later to the whole country. From today, we are rolling out expanded employment support for young people …
I thank my hon. Friend for his commitment to expanding opportunity for young people in his constituency and to reducing the NEET youth rate. As he knows, I was pleased to open the Peterborough youth hub some months ago, and my Department is working with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough strategic …
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
29 June 2026
5 contributions
Youth Hubs
We are making strong progress on expanding youth hubs, with around 130 already in operation across Great Britain. In March, I announced the locations that we want to open in this year, and I have just announced a further 180 locations for the following two years. The areas involved, including Harlow…
My hon. Friend is right, and I thank Cardiff football club for being a partner. We are supporting nearly 1 million young people and creating up to half a million opportunities for jobs and training. We are doing that by providing incentives for employers to hire, promoting apprenticeships and delive…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
29 June 2026
5 contributions
Unemployed Young People
More than 1 million young people are currently not in education, employment or training. Youth employment in the UK has not reached its pre-financial crash level in any year since, and there has been a sharp rise in recent years in the number of young people not in education, employment or training.…
The hon. Member raises an important issue. Whenever I discuss youth unemployment and opportunity with MPs, they often identify transport links as a barrier. We are capping single bus fares at £3 on thousands of routes in England outside London until March 2027, but I believe that there is more that …
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
29 June 2026
5 contributions
Topical Questions
Since our last DWP questions, both Alan Milburn and the Pensions Commission have published their respective interim reports on young people and on the current state of saving for retirement. I look forward to receiving their final reports later in the year. Earlier this month, I visited the Netherla…
It is important to treat customers properly and fairly and to remember that the DWP deals with some of the most vulnerable people in society. The Department takes safeguarding seriously. We have increased training, particularly for those involved in health assessments. If there are specific cases th…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
14 May 2026
9 contributions
Getting Britain Working Again
It is a pleasure to open today’s King’s Speech debate on behalf of the Government. As His Majesty said yesterday, we are living in
“an increasingly dangerous and volatile world”.
This debate is about the labour market, so let us start with some facts. We have 332,000 more people in work than a yea…
Let me read this out for the hon. Gentleman. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Government were
“too scared to make foreign interventions”.
She also said:
“I say to Labour MPs that we are in this war whether they like it or not. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?” —[Official Report, …
+7 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
17 contributions
Topical Questions
Since our last DWP oral questions, I have updated the House on the expansion of our youth employment offer, I have been to an excellent job fair in Glasgow, I have said that the latest unemployment figures show a fall, and last week I went back to university—it was the McDonald’s Hamburger Universit…
I am happy to ensure that the hon. Member gets a meeting with a Minister from the Department to discuss his constituent’s case.
+15 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
4 contributions
Unemployment
The latest unemployment figures published last week show a fall to 4.9% in February, which I am sure the whole House will welcome. Along with growth figures of 0.5% earlier this year, that is more evidence that the economy was heading in the right direction at the beginning of the year. But I have t…
I recently joined a successful jobs fair close to the hon. Gentleman’s constituency, where the industries that he mentioned were hiring more people—it was one of the most successful such events that we have seen. I hope that he will welcome the fact that 330,000 more people are in work this year tha…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
2 contributions
Statutory Sick Pay
I believe my hon. Friend will welcome the changes the Government have made to statutory sick pay, which came into force earlier this month. For the first time ever, we have removed the lower earnings limit for statutory sick pay, as well as the waiting period so that people can access sick pay as so…
I believe that removing the three-day limit and giving access to statutory sick pay from day one, as well as making it available to those who work for multiple employers, should decrease the pressure on workers to have to work through illness.
My hon. Friend will be aware that the “Keep Britain Wor…
Commons
Oral Questions
27 April 2026
9 contributions
Apprenticeships
The number of youth apprenticeship starts has fallen by 40% over the past decade. Because we want to give more young people the chance of apprenticeships, we are fully funding youth apprenticeships for small businesses, introducing a £2,000 hiring incentive for non-levy-paying employers, and expandi…
My hon. Friend is right to say that promoting apprenticeships must start in schools. Our brilliant apprenticeship ambassador network brings together about 3,000 employers and apprentices, who go into schools and colleges and share stories about how apprenticeships can transform young lives. Those am…
+7 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
17 March 2026
46 contributions
Youth Unemployment
I would like to make a statement on our new package of support to tackle the long-term problem of youth unemployment. Let me begin by wishing you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and the whole House a very happy St Patrick’s day. This year, due to Lenten abstinence, I will toast it with Guinness zero—one of t…
In fact, we can hear them claiming it right now. But the truth is that the number of young people not in education, employment or training rose by 250,000 in the three years running up to the last election, and the Conservatives did precisely nothing about it. Youth unemployment has been rising sinc…
+44 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
9 March 2026
8 contributions
Topical Questions
Since the last Work and Pensions questions, we have had Apprenticeships Week, when I visited Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead and London Underground’s Acton Works in west London. I attended the youth guarantee jobs fair in Blackpool, which connected over 3,000 local people with 90 employers; had…
I appreciate the value of skills bootcamps. They can play an important role in the mix of policies we are talking about today. I hear the representations the hon. Lady has made for more funding. All I would say to her and her party is that if we have more funding, I hope they support whatever revenu…
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
9 March 2026
3 contributions
Unemployment: Scotland
The Scottish unemployment rate is 3.8%, and overall economic inactivity in Scotland is higher than in the UK as a whole. However, I am pleased to say that Scotland has had the biggest increase in funding since devolution began. It will benefit from major defence contracts, including the £10 billion …
That is of course a hugely important industry for the UK. The hon. Member will be aware that a transition is taking place, but oil and gas will be part of the mix for a long time to come. The Chancellor met those in the industry last week, and I assure the hon. Member and her constituents that the i…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
9 March 2026
3 contributions
Young People and Work Report
The right hon. Alan Milburn is making progress on his report. He brings valuable experience as a former Secretary of State for Health and former chair of the Government’s Social Mobility Commission. He is engaging with stakeholders across the country to increase the understanding of what has driven …
My hon. Friend brings valuable experience to this matter, including his experience of teaching engineering apprentices at the University of Nottingham. We are committed to ensuring that disadvantaged young people have access to high-quality apprenticeships and can benefit from the new jobs being cre…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
9 March 2026
12 contributions
Support for NEET Young People
The statistics for the second half of 2024 show the scale of the situation that we inherited from the previous Government. The number of young people not in education, employment or training had increased by around 300,000 since 2021, but, unlike the last Government, we are doing something about tha…
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for highlighting the valuable work of Wiseup Networks. He is absolutely right; work experience and mentoring can play a very important role in helping young people to find work. Confidence can be an issue for young people, so building that up is really important. I am…
+10 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
9 March 2026
10 contributions
Unemployment
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. However, there is a long-term challenge in youth unemployment, which we are responding to thro…
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.
+8 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
3 February 2026
13 contributions
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
Core to our belief is the idea that no one, no matter their background, should be trapped by their circumstances. People should have the chance to make the best life they possibly can. Poverty is a barrier to that ambition, and it makes it muc…
The right hon. Gentleman has set out the previous Government’s justification. I am about to explain why that did not stack up at the time, and why it certainly does not stack up after the experience of the policy.
We should begin by considering why no other neighbouring country has this two-child l…
+11 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
29 January 2026
19 contributions
Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report
In November, I informed the House that the Government would make a new decision in response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report into the way changes to the state pension age were communicated to women born in the 1950s. This followed relevant evidence coming to light as part o…
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s questions. He is right that there has been a forceful and energetic campaign, which has resulted in lots of emails and contact with Members across the House, but his Government had this report from the ombudsman. They could have taken a decision before the elec…
+17 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
10 contributions
Topical Questions
Since the new year we have had the first expressions of interest from firms that want to participate in the youth guarantee scheme. We have announced our intention to change benefit entitlement for people in mental health hospitals who have been convicted of serious violent crimes. We have announced…
I congratulate my hon. Friend and everyone involved in Team Derby on their excellent training and employment record. Around 40% of all apprenticeship starts are in small and medium-sized employers and they will benefit from the £725 million in funding that we announced at the Budget, which includes …
+8 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
2 contributions
“Keep Britain Working” Review: Recommendations
Last week I met Sir Charlie Mayfield, author of the “Keep Britain Working” report, to discuss progress. He reported that more than 100 employers are now onboard to act as vanguards, including British Airways, Sainsbury’s, Holland and Barrett, and a number of smaller employers. The aim is to develop …
My hon. Friend raises a number of issues. As I said, we are setting up the unit that Sir Charlie recommended, and I very much hope that it will work with academic expertise across the country. Her initial point about this being a win-win for employers is important, because if an employer lets someon…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
2 contributions
Employee Health
Businesses are a really important partner in supporting workers’ health. This is not an issue just for government. I have seen excellent examples of employers doing this, including when I visited British Airways at Heathrow in November to mark the launch of the final report of the “Keep Britain Work…
I opened the Neath opportunity hub in south Wales in October, and I announced further funding of £10 million for the trailblazer covering that area. Alan Milburn is doing important work in reporting on the whole issue of young people in activity and work. The thing that unites these efforts is the b…
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
3 contributions
Young Disabled People: Support into Work
It is important that the welfare state is there to support disabled people. Too often in the past, disabled people have been signed off and written off. The state has paid benefits, but has not done enough to help disabled people into work, so we are now expanding employment support for the long-ter…
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. Ever since he came into this House, including in his maiden speech, he has made a powerful case on behalf of carers and children with disabilities. He makes the critical point that we should not give up on anyone. He is right that not all the c…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
26 January 2026
9 contributions
Youth Hubs
Sympathies to you, Mr Speaker, on your recent injury. If you require a WorkWell appointment with a health practitioner, we recently had a national roll-out, and I am sure that we can arrange that for you.
We believe that work is good for people. That is why we are expanding youth hubs to more than …
I congratulate my hon. Friend’s constituent James Boyle on his work running several teams at Longwood FC. That is a great example, and a number of youth hubs are located in football clubs and other sporting organisations. I understand that Huddersfield youth hub currently serves at least some of my …
+7 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
10 contributions
Topical Questions
Since the last set of Work and Pensions oral questions, we have announced £820 million of funding to offer training and work to young unemployed people through the youth guarantee and £725 million more in apprenticeship investment, with 50,000 more apprenticeship starts for young people. We have res…
My hon. Friend is right to say that youth hubs can deliver vital help to get young people back on track. This is about getting the jobcentre out of the jobcentre, if you will, and making sure that we meet young people where they are in the community. We are expanding youth hubs; there will be a tota…
+8 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
4 contributions
NEET Young People
When this Government came to power, we inherited a situation in which almost 1 million young people were not in education, employment or training. As we have said, the number rose by 50% in the last few years of the Conservatives’ time in government, and they did nothing about it. That is why we are…
If the hon. Gentleman cared about young people and opportunity, he might regret the fact that there was a 40% decline in young people’s apprenticeships over the last decade, when his party were in power. As well as the introducing the youth guarantee, we have brough forward £725 million more in inve…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Work and Pensions
8 December 2025
6 contributions
Welfare Spending: Economic Impact
We inherited from the Conservative party a welfare system that forced too many people out of work and on to long-term benefits, while leaving millions of children in poverty. We have begun to address that through reforms to universal credit, increased employment support, more help for children in po…
The Conservative party watched the number of those who are not in education, employment or training grow year by year and did nothing about it. The hon. Lady will find that, at the Budget a couple of weeks ago, the Office for Budget Responsibility projected that the levels of people in employment wi…
+4 more contributions in this session