Young People and Work

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Thursday 4th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Effingham (Con)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Cross Benches, then the Conservative Benches.

[Lord Bird (CB)]

Is it possible for the Minister to explain to me this kind of scattergun effect? She says that it covers all departments—education and everything else—but why is there not a central office in government for the eradication of poverty? Only by bringing everyone’s energies together will we bring about change.

Pension Schemes Bill

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

3rd reading
Thursday 26th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, I have it in command from His Majesty the King to acquaint the House that His Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Pension Schemes Bill, has consented to place his interests, so far as they are affected by the Bill, at the disposal of Parliament for the purposes of the Bill.

Bill read a third time.

Youth Unemployment

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Thursday 5th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Harrington of Watford (Non-Afl)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, we have plenty of time. It is the Lib Dem Benches next, then the Cross Benches.

[Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (LD)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that information, but can she say what assessment has been made of the impact of poor mental health on young people’s ability to gain work? What is the connection between the Department for Work and Pensions and the NHS in dealing with this problem?

Erasmus+ Eligibility: Asylum Seekers

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Thursday 29th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Anderson of Swansea (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Cross Benches.

[Lord Hampton (CB)]

My Lords, I think we all know what I do for a living. I welcome our rejoining of Erasmus+ but, to follow on from the question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed of Tinsley, it is vital that state schools and people who do not have the opportunity to go on holiday abroad can join the Erasmus scheme and benefit from all this money. Can the Minister be slightly more specific about how schools are going to learn about this? I am not sure that so many do.

Jobs Market: Wider Economic Implications

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Spellar (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, we will hear from the Lib Dems next, please.

[Lord Mohammed of Tinsley (LD)]

My Lords, I am more than happy to speak to Alan Milburn, given my long experience of working with NEETs. The question I will ask the Minister is about His Majesty’s Government having two key priorities. One is around net zero and the other is building 1.5 million homes. I want to know: what is the strategy around young people and apprenticeships? I ask this because I spoke to a young person studying at Sheffield College who is doing an electrician course. He is really stressed out that he is unable to get the apprenticeship course he needs to get properly qualified and contribute to the economy, because otherwise he told me that he will look for a job in McDonald’s.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Draft Updated Code of Practice

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Wednesday 5th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Pannick (CB)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Cross Benches.

[Lord Pannick (CB)]

Does the Minister agree that, today, it is the obligation of all persons, whether private or public, to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court, whether they agree with it or not, and without waiting for guidance?

Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

3rd reading
Thursday 23rd October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, I have it in command from His Majesty the King to acquaint the House that His Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, has consented to place his interests, so far as affected by the Bill, at the disposal of Parliament for the purpose of the Bill.

Motion

Moved by

Jobs Market

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Monday 13th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Cross Benches next.

[Lord Vaux of Harrowden (CB)]

The Minister quite rightly mentioned young people and the importance of opportunities for them, but there seems to be increasing evidence that entry-level opportunities are reducing and that it is becoming more difficult for young people to take that all-important first step into work. So can the Minister explain why the Government are still insisting on pushing through a change to employment law that their own impact assessment says will actually make it harder for young people to find a job?

Youth Unemployment

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Thursday 11th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Rook (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Lib Dem Benches next.

[Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (LD)]

My Lords, building on an earlier question and the Minister’s reply, she will be aware that, as well as young people claiming unemployment benefits, large numbers of them are not in education, employment or training. Given the lasting damage that long periods out of the labour market can have, especially at the start of a young person’s working life, what urgent steps—I stress the word “urgent”—is the Minister taking to meet the particular needs of this group? She has explained what we are doing long term, and I am grateful for that, but this is an urgent matter and so I would like to know what we are doing urgently.

Pension Review: Phase 2

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Wednesday 18th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bellingham (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, it is time to hear from the Green Benches now.