Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will list the employers which have been engaged with the Youth Guarantee scheme.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Public and private sector employers, the third sector, and education and training providers are integral to the success of the Youth Guarantee. Many employers recognise that investing in young people and training their workforce drives both business success and economic growth.
We will be working closely with Youth Guarantee supporters and partners across the country to deliver jobs, apprenticeships, work experience and training places.
Employers will also benefit from a tailored DWP support service to help fill vacancies with Jobcentre candidates, including job description support, faster recruitment, vacancy promotion, use of Jobcentre space for interviews, access to the free Find a Job site, and expert advice from a dedicated Recruitment Manager.
Regarding the Jobs Guarantee for long-term unemployed young people, at this initial stage we will be delivering through partner organisations. We have started engaging with stakeholders through various forums and this will continue over the coming year.
The government will set out details of Youth Guarantee employers and partners in due course.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) private sector, (b) public sector and (c) third sector organisations have signed up to the Youth Guarantee scheme.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Public and private sector employers, the third sector, and education and training providers are integral to the success of the Youth Guarantee. Many employers recognise that investing in young people and training their workforce drives both business success and economic growth.
We will be working closely with Youth Guarantee supporters and partners across the country to deliver jobs, apprenticeships, work experience and training places.
Employers will also benefit from a tailored DWP support service to help fill vacancies with Jobcentre candidates, including job description support, faster recruitment, vacancy promotion, use of Jobcentre space for interviews, access to the free Find a Job site, and expert advice from a dedicated Recruitment Manager.
Regarding the Jobs Guarantee for long-term unemployed young people, at this initial stage we will be delivering through partner organisations. We have started engaging with stakeholders through various forums and this will continue over the coming year.
The government will set out details of Youth Guarantee employers and partners in due course.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many providers of (a) apprenticeships, (b) training and (c) education have signed up to the Youth Guarantee scheme.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Public and private sector employers, the third sector, and education and training providers are integral to the success of the Youth Guarantee. Many employers recognise that investing in young people and training their workforce drives both business success and economic growth.
We will be working closely with Youth Guarantee supporters and partners across the country to deliver jobs, apprenticeships, work experience and training places.
Employers will also benefit from a tailored DWP support service to help fill vacancies with Jobcentre candidates, including job description support, faster recruitment, vacancy promotion, use of Jobcentre space for interviews, access to the free Find a Job site, and expert advice from a dedicated Recruitment Manager.
Regarding the Jobs Guarantee for long-term unemployed young people, at this initial stage we will be delivering through partner organisations. We have started engaging with stakeholders through various forums and this will continue over the coming year.
The government will set out details of Youth Guarantee employers and partners in due course.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Personal Independence Payment applicants where the main disabling condition was Anaemia - Sickle cell a) lodged an appeal after a completed Mandatory Reconsideration, b) had their appeal lapse prior to reaching tribunal and c) had their initial decision overturned at tribunal between April 2020 and March 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The response is covered by the table below. All data below refers to claims under normal rules in areas under DWP policy ownership, where the claimants’ primary health condition is Anaemia – Sickle cell, with initial decisions made between April 2020 and March 2025.
| Volume | Per cent (%) of total PIP initial assessment decisions |
Claimants who received an MR outcome who then lodged an appeal | 290 | 11 |
Claimants who had their appeal lapse prior to reaching tribunal | 50 | 2 |
Claimants who had their initial decision overturned at tribunal | 120 | 5 |
PIP initial assessment decisions comprise awards and disallowances following a PIP assessment. They do not include pre-assessment decisions, award review decisions or changes of circumstances decisions.
All volumes have been rounded to the nearest 10 and percentages have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to funding eligibility for Level 7 apprenticeships on access to architectural training; and what discussions have taken place with stakeholders regarding age limits and future funding arrangements.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question UIN 57098.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the enforcement regime under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for detering unregistered gas works.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) which address the safe installation, maintenance, and use of gas systems, in commercial and domestic premises. These regulations require that no employer or self-employed person shall carry out gas work if they are not registered with the Gas Safe Register (GSR). HSE and Local Authorities regulate this through enforcement powers set under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Enforcement powers available to regulators include prosecution, prohibition notices and improvement notices.
HSE applies the principles laid down in the published Enforcement Policy Statement (EPS) and Enforcement Management Model (EMM) to ensure that enforcement action is targeted, consistent and proportionate to the health and safety risks present and the seriousness of the breach.
In 2024/2025, HSE issued 44 prohibition notices in relation to unregistered gas work against 42 businesses and prosecuted 3 individuals for illegal gas work. In addition, GSR conducted 522 site investigations into unregistered gas work.
Asked by: Lee Pitcher (Labour - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of statutory maternity pay levels on (a) workforce retention and (b) maternal health outcomes.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government has committed to review the parental leave and pay system.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to ensure asbestos awareness training is provided to a) health and education workers or b) all public-sector workers in order to reduce the risk of contracting mesothelioma or another asbestos-related cancer.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR) require all dutyholders such as employers or building occupiers, including those in the public sector, to provide adequate information, instruction and training to workers who are liable to be exposed to asbestos.
These requirements extend to ensuring that information about the location and condition of any asbestos is provided to every person liable to disturb it.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of compliance with the safety regime amongst duty holders in the offshore oil and gas industry.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes annual statistics in relation to its regulatory activity, which includes data on the offshore oil and gas sector. HSE will use this data alongside its findings from regulatory work and industry engagement to continuously assess its regulatory priorities.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people does the Department estimate will be eligible for the Youth Guarantee at the beginning of the scheme, and for each quarter until the end of this Parliament.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are investing £820 million over the next 3 years in our Youth Guarantee to overhaul support and give a generation of young people a brighter future. Different aspects of the Youth Guarantee have different eligibility criteria.
Young People claiming benefits and on DWP’s Youth Offer may be eligible for the new Youth Guarantee Gateway, the Jobs Guarantee, Work Experience placements and SWAPs. Nearly 900,000 will be eligible for (and will receive) the Youth Guarantee Gateway, which consists of a dedicated session, followed by four weeks of additional intensive support with a Work Coach. The Jobs Guarantee will guarantee a six-month paid work placement to eligible young people aged 18 to 21 who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. We estimate that 55,000 people will be eligible for the Jobs Guarantee between launch and March 2029.
Other aspects of the Youth Guarantee are open to all those who need them. For instance, we are expanding Youth Hubs for 16 to 24-year-olds to more than 360 locations across Great Britain so that all young people – including those not receiving benefits – can access opportunities and comprehensive support in their local area. Each Youth Hub unites employment services from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with place-based support from local partners, helping young people move into work. As part of this expansion, we have introduced a core blueprint for minimum service standards, marking a major step forward in making employment support more accessible and seamlessly integrated with other essential services such as health, housing, and wellbeing tailored to local needs and partnerships.