Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what data his Department holds on the proportion of job applicants who are not informed of the outcome of their applications.

The government recognises concerns raised by young people who contributed to Alan Milburn's interim review of the rise in the number of 16 to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Many reported submitting large numbers of job applications but receiving either no response or only automated rejections.

The government is considering these concerns and will respond to any recommendations arising from Alan Milburn's final review once it is published.

The government does not collect data on job applications. Recruitment practices, including whether unsuccessful candidates are notified about the outcome of their application, are matters for individual employers. Employers must, however, comply with their obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and must not discriminate unlawfully during recruitment or selection processes.