Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of employer-partnership programmes on labour market participation in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

The Department for Work and Pensions continually monitors and evaluates the impact of its programmes on labour market participation across Great Britain, including in Buckingham and Bletchley.

Employer-partnership initiatives such as the Restart Scheme, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), and Skills Bootcamps are subject to independent evaluation, which informs future policy and contractual decisions. For example, the Restart evaluation by the Learning & Work Institute and Ipsos UK, and the Skills Bootcamp evaluation by CFE Research, are publicly available on GOV.UK.

Locally, Jobcentres in Aylesbury and Milton Keynes deliver a range of employer-led programmes to help people move into sustainable employment. These include tailored support through Restart, mentoring circles with NHS and other employers, and SWAPs in sectors such as construction, logistics, retail, and health and social care.

The Department’s wider reforms will create a new service across Great Britain, enabling people to access support to find good, meaningful work and progress in employment, while working with employers to overcome recruitment barriers and meet skills needs.

Through these measures, the Department aims to improve labour market participation and ensure inclusive employment opportunities in Buckingham, Bletchley, and beyond.