Oral Answers to Questions

Aphra Brandreth Excerpts

Thursday 15th October 2026 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Aphra Brandreth (Chester South and Eddisbury) (Con)]

1. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support the creation of jobs for young people.

[Joe Robertson (Isle of Wight East) (Con)]

5. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support the creation of jobs for young people.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (Jonathan Reynolds)]

Everything my Department does—from industrial strategy, small business support, trade and exports to innovation and science—has the creation of good jobs at the heart of it. In the UK, there are challenges around jobs for young people, no doubt, but youth unemployment has shown to be outperforming that of comparable economies such as France and Italy, and the Government have a further agenda in this area.

[Aphra Brandreth]

The wonderful family-run Ice Cream Farm in Tattenhall is one of our region’s largest youth employers, giving many young people their very first job, but the current rules limit children below school-leaving age to just two hours’ work on Sundays, even during school holidays. For businesses in rural areas, where parents often have to drive considerable distances to get their kids to work, this simply is not practical. Will the Secretary of State review the restriction while maintaining important safeguards, so that businesses such as the Ice Cream Farm can offer more young people vital first work experience?

[Jonathan Reynolds]

I appreciate the hon. Lady’s question. This subject has come up with me before, both on a constituency basis and as the Secretary of State. There is the potential to look at the regulations in this area. I do not think it is about exploitation; it is about providing reasonable opportunities that young people desire. I promise that I will go away and look at this issue, and write to the hon. Lady with further information.