Young People and Work: Milburn Interim Report Debate
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Paul Davies
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Young People and Work: Milburn Interim Report
Paul Davies Excerpts(1 day, 22 hours ago)
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Paul Davies (Colne Valley) (Lab)
I want to acknowledge the important role of the Milburn review and its interim report within the broader context of welfare reform. Social security is important in achieving social justice, but it is also a key part of a thriving and resilient economy, providing the necessary safeguards to help people in times of need and a route back to work for those that can.
The Department for Work and Pensions spends roughly £25 on benefits for every £1 spent on employment support. In practice, that means that only around one in five NEETs receive meaningful employment support. That is simply not sustainable. I welcome the emphasis in Milburn’s interim report on strengthening employment support for young people, and I expect the final recommendations of the review to build on that with a clear national strategy.
Such a national strategy is crucial, but what we do locally is equally important, hence the importance of partnering with local providers and career services. In my constituency I have been leading the Aspire project, in which I work with Kirklees college, C+K Careers and local businesses to identify young people who are NEET and pair them with mentors who can offer guidance, support and work experience. The aim is to help them gain confidence in themselves and provide pragmatic advice when it comes to accessing education and employment opportunities. That is a first step, but it is a big step for many of the young people in engaging with colleges and employers. Local and national need to be in lockstep when it comes to the issue of NEETs, so will the Minister please comment on how the Government can help achieve that?