Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Murray Excerpts

Monday 12th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Alison McGovern]

I pay tribute to all those from the hon. Gentleman’s constituency who have been part of building our whole country. We work very closely with the devolved Administrations across the United Kingdom to ensure that, as the Secretary of State laid out, chances and opportunities are there for everybody. I look forward to working with the hon. Gentleman as we move forward through our change programme.

[Chris Murray (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab)]

3. What steps she is taking to help support young people not in education, employment or training.

[The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)]

Our new changed jobcentres will serve the whole of Great Britain. The changes that we are bringing forward will mean more personalised help for everyone, but especially young people. Frontline work coaches who help young people need better technology and more time to help them find the best opportunities. The goal of our changes is to better serve employers and young people.

[Chris Murray]

In the pandemic, young people were among the least at risk, but they gave up so much of their lives to protect those who were at risk. No generation has made such a sacrifice for another since the war, but they have been badly let down: across the UK, one in eight are not in employment, education or training, and it is worse in Scotland, where the figure is one in six young Scots. What steps is the Minister taking to mitigate the inaction of the SNP Scottish Government and build a better future for young Scots?

[Alison McGovern]

As I just mentioned, our new jobcentres will create a universal service across Great Britain. We must make those changes to serve young people. My hon. Friend makes an excellent point about the pandemic generation, who deserve much better from us all. I know that his city of Edinburgh is full of chances and opportunities that we cannot let go to waste. Given the role of Edinburgh and Glasgow in our visitor economy, I am sure that he will be interested in the work we are doing with UKHospitality to help more young people to have an opportunity in that great sector.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Murray Excerpts

Monday 16th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Chris Murray.

[Chris Murray (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab)]

Edinburgh is a booming and—oh, sorry.

[Mr Speaker]

Question 4.

[Chris Murray (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab)]

4. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the “Get Britain Working” White Paper on employers and businesses.

[The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)]

We have all been there, Mr Speaker. Businesses are crying out for staff, yet only one in six employers uses jobcentres. Our “Get Britain Working” White Paper will revolutionise employment support to give employers the workforce they need. The support will include a new jobs and career service, designed around employers’ needs. We are also launching an independent review of the role of employers in promoting healthy and inclusive workforces.

[Chris Murray]

Some of us are still getting our heads around our new jobs, Mr Speaker. Edinburgh is a booming economy that has all the raw materials to thrive in the years ahead—especially because we have some of the growth industries that the Government have identified as being key to the future of the economy. However, businesses in my constituency are crying out for workers with the skills that they need. What are the Government doing to ensure that the workforce has the skills that businesses need?

[Alison McGovern]

My hon. Friend describes exactly why we need a local tailored service: so that all employers can properly engage with jobcentres and work together to find the skilled members of staff that they need. I agree with him that Edinburgh offers so many opportunities to our young people. I know that all my DWP colleagues in Edinburgh will work with him to get business the skilled staff that they need.