Oral Answers to Questions

Douglas Ross Excerpts

Monday 21st May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

I will just report that we have exceptions in place and of course this policy is ultimately about being fair both to claimants and to taxpayers.

[Douglas Ross (Moray) (Con)]

3. What recent assessment the Government have made of trends in youth employment.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Ms Esther McVey)]

Youth employment has risen by 150,000 since 2010 and now stands at 3.86 million. The UK has the third highest youth employment in the G7 and the proportion of all 16 to 24-year-olds in work or full-time education now stands at 85%.

[Douglas Ross]

Youth unemployment has fallen by 43% since 2010. Will the Secretary of State join me in welcoming the work in Moray during Meaningful May, when 93 students have taken part in work placements, taking the total for this year to 330? Will she praise the 186 employers who have facilitated these projects and explain what further the Department is doing to get more young people into work?

[Ms McVey]

I will indeed welcome the work that is being done in Moray not only by all the work coaches and the businesses there, but by my hon. Friend, who does so much in his local area. On top of that, Scotland has a different system in place, with the youth obligation traineeships supporting work experience, supporting sector-based work academies through Skills Development Scotland, and supporting and getting people excited about going into a job—excited about what they can do and what they can offer Scotland and the world.