Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to require Jobcentres to report on the number of claimants moved into a) full-time work, b) part-time work and c) training and skills provision.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The DWP do not publish statistics on the total number of customers who are supported by Jobcentres into different types of work or training.
However, we have recently published analysis on into-work rates, including at the local authority and Jobcentre Plus district level, which can be found here: Get Britain Working: Labour Market Insights October 2025 - GOV.UK. The into-work rate is the proportion of Universal Credit ‘searching for work’ conditionality regime customers who have earnings in one assessment period who did not have earnings in the preceding assessment period.
The average into-work rate for the 12 months to June 2025 in Great Britain was 7.4%. Over the same period the into-work rate for the local authorities Basildon and Thurrock were 7.4% and 8.2% respectively. For the Essex Jobcentre Plus district it was 8.5%.
The DWP have published management information on SWAPs starts and employment outcomes since April 2021, which can be found here: Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) Management Information, April 2021 to September 2025 - GOV.UK. In financial year 2024/25, there were 86,730 starts on Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs).
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants were supported by Jobcentres into work in the last 12 months.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The DWP do not publish statistics on the total number of customers who are supported by Jobcentres into different types of work or training.
However, we have recently published analysis on into-work rates, including at the local authority and Jobcentre Plus district level, which can be found here: Get Britain Working: Labour Market Insights October 2025 - GOV.UK. The into-work rate is the proportion of Universal Credit ‘searching for work’ conditionality regime customers who have earnings in one assessment period who did not have earnings in the preceding assessment period.
The average into-work rate for the 12 months to June 2025 in Great Britain was 7.4%. Over the same period the into-work rate for the local authorities Basildon and Thurrock were 7.4% and 8.2% respectively. For the Essex Jobcentre Plus district it was 8.5%.
The DWP have published management information on SWAPs starts and employment outcomes since April 2021, which can be found here: Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) Management Information, April 2021 to September 2025 - GOV.UK. In financial year 2024/25, there were 86,730 starts on Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs).
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the level of (a) heavy goods vehicle and (b) large goods vehicle driver vacancies; and what steps her Department is taking to help (i) train and (ii) retain drivers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport publishes data on heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver vacancies which is collected as part of the domestic road haulage survey, sent to businesses which operate an HGV. The data releases can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/road-freight-statistics-2024/heavy-goods-vehicle-driver-vacancies-in-the-united-kingdom-2024
In addition, the Department meets regularly with the road haulage sector through the Freight Workforce Group and Road Freight Industry meetings to discuss industry concerns, including skills shortages.
The Government has confirmed £136 million for Skills Bootcamps in 2025-26 to support more than 40,000 learners, including in HGV driving. Skills Bootcamps are now funded through Mayoral Strategic Authorities and local areas directly, empowering local leaders with greater control over skills development. Local leaders are considering what occupations to prioritise.
The Government also continues to support the sector with skills training through the Urban Driver and Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) driver apprenticeships, and through Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) via Jobcentre Plus.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase driver numbers in the logistics sector.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to supporting the logistics sector in developing the skilled workforces it needs. The Government has confirmed £136 million for Skills Bootcamps in 2025-26 to support more than 40,000 learners. Skills Bootcamps will remain an important part of skills provision and are now funded through Mayoral Strategic Authorities and local areas directly, empowering local leaders with greater control over skills development. Local leaders are considering what occupations, including HGV driving, to prioritise.
The Government also continues to support the sector with skills training through the Urban Driver and Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) driver apprenticeships, and through Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) via Jobcentre Plus.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the health of the labour market, in light of the number of unemployed people and job vacancies.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Economic growth is a priority for this Government. Building a thriving and inclusive labour market and increasing the number of people in work is central to achieving the Government’s number one mission to grow the economy, and delivering our missions to spread opportunity and improve the health of the nation.
In November 2024, we set out our plan in the Get Britain Working White Paper, with three main pillars:
Since the start of the year, over 329,000 more people have moved into employment. Rising employment and falling inactivity have also contributed to there now being a record number (34.3 million) of working-aged people who are economically active. The UK has the 3rd highest employment rate in the G7 and had the fastest growing economy in the G7 in the first half the year. Since July 2024, real wages have risen more than in the first ten years of the previous government.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to encourage businesses to offer work experience placements to recent university graduates.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government encourages work experience through various initiatives spanning various departments. The Department for Business and Trade published the UK’s Industrial, Trade and Small Business Strategies, which were developed in partnership with business, with positive feedback from leading business organisations. For example, the Industrial Strategy will provide an additional £1.2bn of investment in the skills system by 2028-29.
The Department for Work and Pensions has an established strong network of partnerships with external training providers, universities, and graduate employment platforms to enhance graduate employment opportunities.
DWP are reforming Jobcentre Plus to create a new, more personalised employment support service across Great Britain. This new service will move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and recognise that individuals – including graduates – have different needs. It will provide tailored help to find good, meaningful work and support progression in employment, with a stronger focus on skills and careers.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
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 potential impact of government-funded skills programmes on staffing levels in hospitality.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The hospitality industry has a need for skilled workers to support growth in the economy and opportunity for all, as we have identified through IfATE’s (Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education) 2024 report into the future of skills training for the catering and hospitality sectors.
We have a comprehensive skills programme to support employers in growing their business, and to support learners to develop better skills for better jobs. Training products are based on the skills, knowledge and behaviours that employers themselves have identified. These programmes, covering technical qualifications and apprenticeships, will support the industry to access the skills they need. Skills England meets regularly with representatives of the hospitality industry to understand skills challenges in that sector and how current technical qualifications and apprenticeships are meeting their needs.
The government is funding a number of Sector-based Work Academy Programmes – or SWAPs. These are short-term training programmes designed to support jobseekers to get back into work. SWAPs bring together employers, Jobcentre Plus, and training providers, matching people to jobs and providing job-specific training, preparation and support. In May of this year the Department for Work and Pensions announced a partnership with UKHospitality to rollout hospitality SWAPs to 26 new areas providing real opportunities for individuals and employers.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help remove barriers to work faced by young disabled people with complex needs in Birmingham Perry Barr constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group. Access to the right support, in the right place, at the right time, is crucial.
Jobcentre Plus provides tailored, person-centred support to young disabled people, focusing on their individual needs. Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs) provide personalise support for people with health conditions and disabilities to enable them to achieve appropriate and sustainable employment. DEAs work closely with Youth Employability Coaches (YECs), who deliver longer-term support, specifically for young people facing with complex to work. Both DEAs and YECs work with partner organisations to ensure access to expert advice.
The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education continue to work closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on the design and delivery of their Youth Guarantee Trailblazer. WMCA has actively engaged its seven Local Authorities, which includes Birmingham, to co-develop and test place-based solutions aimed at tackling high youth unemployment, economic inactivity, and declining apprenticeship opportunities. Examples of programmes being delivered through the Trailblazer include work experience placements, pre-apprenticeship training, and NEET prevention. This locally tailored support is also accessible to young people with health conditions and disabilities. Insights from the Trailblazer will inform future national policy and delivery.
In addition, young people with health conditions and disabilities can benefit from other locally delivered programmes such as Connect to Work and Workwell. Connect to Work, is a voluntary, high-fidelity programme, connecting work, health and skills support for people with challenges to employment, including health and disability. Workwell, provides a light touch intervention which focuses on prevention and support for people in work to sustain employment. It also supports people who have fallen out of work due to health and disability to return to the workplace.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) evaluate how the target of 80 percent employment will be supported via the co-ordination of (i) employment support and (ii) skills services.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our Get Britain Working strategy set out plans to increase participation and progression in the workforce by transforming Jobcentre Plus into the Jobs & Careers Service, introducing a new Youth Guarantee, and increasing activity to tackle health and disability related inactivity, including through the new Pathways to Work guarantee set out in the March Green Paper.
Coordination of employment support and skills services is key to delivering these plans and meeting the Government’s long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. The Get Britain Working White Paper set the blueprint for joined up work, health and skills services to tackle inactivity at a local level and built on national models such as the Sector Based Work Academy Programmes, which help employers with their workforce needs by upskilling benefit claimants to fill local job vacancies, and Skills Bootcamps for sector-specific training.
We have published our Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper which includes plans to address priority skills gaps and reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training through joined up employment and skills support. We have also brought adult skills into the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to maximise the opportunities of aligning employment and skills support, with the Minister for Skills retaining oversight of skills across DWP and DfE.
We will report on our progress towards reaching our 80% employment rate ambition through a range of metrics annually. Our first report was released in April 2025 with the first update planned for next year. We will measure our success through the following metrics:
DWP published its Evidence and Evaluation Strategy in July 2025 Evidence and Evaluation Strategy 2025 - GOV.UK', with Goal 1 covering how DWP will evaluate its labour market agenda. The strategy details both current and planned research and evaluation activities.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unpaid carers have been supported into work through his Department's employment support programmes in the last 12 months.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to supporting carers to balance unpaid care with paid work where this is feasible. Eligible carers may still receive benefits while working, allowing them to increase their overall income.
The information requested is currently not available. However, support provided by the department includes identifying skills gaps and referral to skills training, careers advice, job search support, volunteering opportunities, localised support and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry. Unemployed customers who require more intensive employment support can also be referred to the Restart programme or Connect to Work. DWP also provides information to help carers and potential unpaid carers make informed decisions about combining work and care through their JobHelp Care choices site.
The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out our ambition to reform Jobcentre Plus and create a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone, to access good, meaningful work, and support them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. The new Jobs and Careers Service will be universal to all - regardless of their barriers to work - and the principles of accessibility and inclusivity will be core to service design.