Young People and Work: Milburn Interim Report

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd November 2026 Westminster Hall

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Andrew Ranger) for securing today’s debate.

As a result of “Young people and work”, which is evidence-based and astute in its diagnosis, we understand the long-term sustained challenges. The challenges that young people face today have been sustained through generations. Of course, this is the generation who had Sure Start stripped away and youth services removed, and have been in the straitjacket of the education system—not to mention covid. Young people in society today face multiple challenges—the challenges are high—but we have a great opportunity to change the system.

I have met young people who have been on the Spear programme in York, which gets 78% of young people from long-term unemployment into work. It does not penalise young people but encourages them, giving them confidence and aptitude to engage in work—the skills that are needed to get work, but also to work with employers in the city. That is really important, because employers need to be equally engaged as partners in the programme.

In his diagnosis in chapter 7 of his report, Alan Milburn says that we do not just need programmes; we need a system change, and one focused on outcomes. The one point that I want to draw out for the Minister is that it starts too late. These programmes kick in when young people are 16 and are already on the pathway. We should introduce them into schools, with not only careers support and work placement opportunities, but employability programmes. The Spear scheme is a four-week programme—two half-days a week and then a one session one-to-one where young people get the skills and are driven forward—but then a year of support into work. That is the kind of programme we need.