Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2022 to Question 2599 on Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Training, what her timescale is for making a decision on whether to extend to 16 weeks the length of time people on legacy benefits can participate in full-time employment-focussed skills training; and if she will make a statement after she has made a decision.

Through DWP Train and Progress, we have already extended to 16 weeks the full-time training flexibility within Universal Credit. It was agreed, across Government, that this extension applied to the period April 2022 – March 2023.

We plan to review the impact of the 16-week extension on labour market outcomes later this year and will take a view as to whether we expand this flexibility to legacy benefit claimants.