Office for National Statistics Labour Market Data

Baroness Teather Excerpts

Thursday 23rd April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I note that the noble Lord has changed the usual formulation of his regular Question on unemployment figures because the unemployment figures fell to below 5%, as seen in the latest figures earlier this week, something I thought that he would have welcomed. It is rather rich that he talks about NEETs, when the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by a quarter of a million between 2021 and 2024. We are well aware of the problem, and this is why we are investing £2.5 billion over the next three years, through the youth guarantee and the growth and skills levy, to support almost 1 million young people getting into education, employment or training. Unlike the last Government, we take this issue with the utmost seriousness and we are acting.

[Baroness Teather (LD)]

My Lords, we know that AI will have a profound impact on work, particularly for young people. As it is already getting harder for graduates to get work, will the Minister urgently commission and publish research into the future impact of AI on the labour market, so that we can have a transparent evidence base for future policy-making?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is absolutely right. AI is very much at the forefront of all our minds as we continue to grapple with the long-term impact that it will have on our economy. That is why, in January, we announced that every adult in the UK is eligible to take free courses to gain practical AI skills for work. This programme has already upskilled 1 million workers. Our ambition is to upskill 10 million by 2030. The noble Baroness mentioned research. We have already launched the AI and future work programme and are establishing an AI economic institute, which will lead cross-government analysis to monitor the emerging impact of AI on the economy and co-ordinate the Government’s response.