Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to reduce youth unemployment in the context of recent job losses in the hospitality sector.

The Government recognises the importance of the Hospitality sector in providing employment for young people. The Budget made more than £1.5bn available over the next three years for investment in employment and skills support. This funds £820m for the Youth Guarantee and provides £725m for the Growth and Skills Levy, ensuring young people have the support they need to earn or learn.

We are supporting more than 50,000 young people into apprenticeships in England by fully funding apprenticeship training costs for all eligible 16–24-year-olds, removing the need for non-levy paying employers to co-fund these learners. We are also expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors such as hospitality and retail, where young people are traditionally recruited. All these measures will be available to assist the hospitality sector in employing young people.