Youth Unemployment

Lord Rook Excerpts

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sherlock (Lab)]

My Lords, although it may not be my responsibility, it is the Government’s responsibility, and I take responsibility for the failure to respond. I apologise on behalf of my department, and I will look into what has happened. The department is aware of the report, and I am certainly very grateful for it. I often think that we do not make enough use of the excellent reports that come out of this House, and this Government are determined to use all evidence, including the work that is already there.

We have not set specific targets, but we have set very clear measurements of the impact of what we do—that is how we will measure ourselves and hold ourselves to account. Our trailblazers are looking at localised approaches to support, including sharing information on and tracking NEET young people, which was picked up in the report. I am very happy to look at that and will take the noble Lord’s message back to my department.

[Lord Rook (Lab)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as a father of two young adults—an interest I have in common with people across these Houses and homes across the country, as well as a desire to see them get into work. First, will this offer arise only for those already on benefits? Secondly, while we all hope that our children will find a first job, we also hope that they will find themselves in a future of sustainable work. How might this package enable young people to find that kind of flourishing future, as well as that first step into the workplace?

[Baroness Sherlock (Lab)]

On the first question, we are not working only with those who are on benefits. Some of the specific elements of the programme are for those who are on universal credit, either for six months or 18 months, and looking for work. However, we are really concerned about those young people who are not in education, employment or training, who are not appearing in the benefits system and who are not on the radar—they are sometimes called “hidden NEETs”. They may not be in the system and may be living with parents or elsewhere—none the less, they are out there. The youth guarantee is about reaching all NEETs, including those not on benefits. That was a key element of the youth guarantee trailblazers, backed by £90 million-worth of funding, which sought to find innovative ways to reach young people outside the benefits system whom we do not already have on our radar. Mayoral strategic authorities are looking into ways that work in their locality. We are trying to make sure that we reach those people too.

The point about the future is very important: nobody wants to be the person who takes an apprenticeship in gas lights just at the point when electricity comes to town. We need to find a way to make sure that young people go into jobs with a future. While one can never be sure, we are developing new apprenticeship units that are aligned specifically with the priorities of the industrial strategy, and we hope that that will help. That includes AI, construction and engineering, and we will develop future units as it goes forward by going with the grain—to echo my noble friend Lord Reid’s comment—of where the economy is going and what employers need. We have to create a future for young people.