Oral Answers to Questions

Rushanara Ali Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Steve Barclay]

I understand my hon. Friend’s frustration. He will know from the announcement at the Budget that the prospectus set out the process, the types of projects, and indeed how bids will be assessed. To reassure him, there will be further opportunities for local authorities to submit bids to the fund. One of the things that we are encouraging those local authorities to do is to work with elected Members of Parliament in the shaping of those bids, and I hope that they will now take the opportunity to do so.

[Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Lab) [V]]

More than half a million young people are out of work and thousands are on furlough. The delay in easing restrictions without associated support for businesses is set to further increase unemployment by 300,000. In the event of a third wave that triggers further restrictions, will Ministers commit to extending the coronavirus job retention scheme and other support that has been vital for our constituents and businesses in our constituencies?

[Rishi Sunak]

The hon. Lady talked about outcomes in the labour market. She will know that we have now had six consecutive months of more people in work, which is something to be celebrated. Vacancies are now running higher than they were at the start of the pandemic, which is a fantastic sign of things to come. The unemployment rate, as I highlighted earlier, is now half what was forecast: 2 million fewer people are forecast to lose their jobs, which is lower than most of our major competitor countries. She is right to highlight, as we have discussed previously, the plight of young people. Our interventions, such as the kickstart scheme and the apprenticeship incentive, will continue to provide opportunity for them up and down the country.