Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current employment support programmes in former industrial areas.

Our Get Britain Working Labour Market Insights publication contains a range of analysis of how labour markets are performing in different types of labour market across the country - including former industrial areas - Get Britain Working: Labour Market Insights - GOV.UK.

We are committed to ensuring employment support meets the needs of local areas. To do this, we are:

• Rolling out Connect to Work across England and Wales, which is a voluntary, locally commissioned, Supported Employment programme for individuals that are disabled, have a health condition or are experiencing non-health related barriers to work to find and sustain employment.

• Delivering local Get Britain Working plans across England, led by local government and co-developed with local NHS, Jobcentre Plus and wider stakeholders. These plans will identify local labour market challenges and priorities including in former industrial areas, and work collectively to address these challenges and support the integration of services.

• Delivering 17 Economic Inactivity and Youth Guarantee Trailblazers led by Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Wales during 24/25 and 25/26. Trailblazers are testing local approaches to support people who are hardest to reach to move towards work, considering the specific needs of local labour markets.

• Reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers.

Employment support programmes such as the Get Britain Working Trailblazers, WorkWell and Connect to Work will be evaluated to assess the extent to which they help people to enter and remain in work.