Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to promote seasonal agricultural work to UK citizens.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
As we move to a high wage, high skilled economy, the Government is encouraging all sectors to adapt and make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology. To support these efforts, Defra is working with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to raise awareness of career opportunities within the food and farming sectors among UK workers. Defra continues to work closely with industry and other Government departments to understand labour supply and demand, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements, and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce.
DWP is supporting Defra to develop and deliver a long-term recruitment strategy that supports the domestic workforce into both seasonal and long-term roles in the agriculture sector working with Defra and key Trade Associations to develop a regional recruitment strategy that utilises DWP’s jobcentre plus network, fosters strong local links between employers and Work Coaches, and gives jobseekers the skills and knowledge they need to enter the sector.
As a result, local Jobcentres are now directly connecting with employers in their area, DWP employer advisors understand the local labour market and can help businesses to design and word job vacancies, develop pre-employment training (specific to a job), recruit in new, and fair, ways (such as offering flexible working patterns) and access Jobcentre Plus office facilities for recruitment (where available).
All agriculture businesses are encouraged to advertise roles through DWP’s Find A Job website, where they can upload and manage their vacancies. DWP do not charge for this service, and it is available across the United Kingdom. Agricultural businesses can also contact DWP’s Employer Services Line for advice about recruiting for their business, by phoning 0800 169 0178 Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, who can put them in touch with local employer advisors for specific and practical advice.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on promoting seasonal agricultural work to UK citizens.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
As we move to a high wage, high skilled economy, the Government is encouraging all sectors to adapt and make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology. To support these efforts, Defra is working with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to raise awareness of career opportunities within the food and farming sectors among UK workers. Defra continues to work closely with industry and other Government departments to understand labour supply and demand, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements, and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce.
DWP is supporting Defra to develop and deliver a long-term recruitment strategy that supports the domestic workforce into both seasonal and long-term roles in the agriculture sector working with Defra and key Trade Associations to develop a regional recruitment strategy that utilises DWP’s jobcentre plus network, fosters strong local links between employers and Work Coaches, and gives jobseekers the skills and knowledge they need to enter the sector.
As a result, local Jobcentres are now directly connecting with employers in their area, DWP employer advisors understand the local labour market and can help businesses to design and word job vacancies, develop pre-employment training (specific to a job), recruit in new, and fair, ways (such as offering flexible working patterns) and access Jobcentre Plus office facilities for recruitment (where available).
All agriculture businesses are encouraged to advertise roles through DWP’s Find A Job website, where they can upload and manage their vacancies. DWP do not charge for this service, and it is available across the United Kingdom. Agricultural businesses can also contact DWP’s Employer Services Line for advice about recruiting for their business, by phoning 0800 169 0178 Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, who can put them in touch with local employer advisors for specific and practical advice.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to provide support into employment that is appropriate to skills and language capabilities for (a) Afghans, (b) Ukranians and (c) Hong Kongers.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches are trained to consider a person's circumstances and to tailor support according to their individual needs. Staff complete claimant awareness training that covers a wide range of claimant circumstances and have access to information on services and support available in their local area for claimants who have complex needs, including referral to English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) if appropriate. Communications have been delivered to all sites to ensure our staff are aware of any specific support available for those individuals following events in Afghanistan, Ukraine and Hong Kong.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants were referred by Jobcentre Plus to providers for digital skills training in 2021, broken down by UK region, London and mayoral combined authority, age, ethnicity, gender and disability.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available. Jobcentre Plus works in partnership with local training providers to ensure/facilitate delivery of essential communication skills, numeracy skills, digital literacy skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training to unemployed benefit claimants in England, Scotland and Wales. Wider adult education and skills policy is the responsibility of the Department for Education in England and devolved to the Scottish and Welsh Governments in Scotland and Wales.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants were referred by Jobcentre Plus to providers for numeracy training in 2021, broken down by UK region, London and mayoral combined authority, age, ethnicity, gender and disability.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available. Jobcentre Plus works in partnership with local training providers to ensure/facilitate delivery of essential communication skills, numeracy skills, digital literacy skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training to unemployed benefit claimants in England, Scotland and Wales. Wider adult education and skills policy is the responsibility of the Department for Education in England and devolved to the Scottish and Welsh Governments in Scotland and Wales.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants were referred by Jobcentre Plus to providers for training literacy in 2021, broken down by UK region, London and mayoral combined authority, age, ethnicity, gender and disability.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available. Jobcentre Plus works in partnership with local training providers to ensure/facilitate delivery of essential communication skills, numeracy skills, digital literacy skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training to unemployed benefit claimants in England, Scotland and Wales. Wider adult education and skills policy is the responsibility of the Department for Education in England and devolved to the Scottish and Welsh Governments in Scotland and Wales.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants were referred by Jobcentre Plus to providers for training in literacy, numeracy or digital skills in each of the last five years, broken down by UK regions, London and mayoral combined authorities and age, ethnicity, gender, disability and region.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available. Jobcentre Plus works in partnership with local training providers to ensure/facilitate delivery of essential communication skills, numeracy skills, digital literacy skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training to unemployed benefit claimants in England, Scotland and Wales. Wider adult education and skills policy is the responsibility of the Department for Education in England and devolved to the Scottish and Welsh Governments in Scotland and Wales.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made on supporting young people into high-skilled jobs in Hendon constituency.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Through Jobcentre Plus, DWP is helping young people to find the right support, education or training that will ultimately lead to sustained employment opportunities and career progression.
The Plan for Jobs provides a comprehensive package of support for young people, including the DWP Youth Offer. We have extended the DWP Youth Offer to 2025 and expanded eligibility to include 16 and 17-year-olds, in addition to 18 to 24-year olds, who are claiming Universal Credit and searching for work.
Both Hendon Jobcentres support young people through the DWP Youth Offer, which includes intensive Work Coach support, Youth Employability Coaches for those with additional barriers, and access to the Youth Hub in the Grahame Park area.
Core skills are fundamental in securing, retaining, and progressing in work. This Government has invested in apprenticeships, traineeships, vocational and basic skills training, alongside careers advice and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs).
SWAP opportunities link skills/employability training with guaranteed interviews and real vacancies – providing a routeway into work for young people. Whilst many opportunities are entry level, they often offer good career pathways and in work progression. Springboard has recently offered SWAP opportunities in the hospitality sector in each of the four London Districts and are available to young claimants in Hendon. The jobcentre team are also working with No1 Fitness Academy, who are running a 6-week employability programme for young people in Hendon.
Employers from a range of sectors recruit on site daily and we deliver a Job Club to support with applications and interview techniques. Across North London, we hold regular recruitment events with multiple employers offering jobs with a range of entry levels.
The local jobcentre team work collaboratively with Barnet Council and various partners to support Hendon’s young people, developing skills provision and routeways into higher skilled jobs in sectors including construction, computer programming and fitness instruction.
We work closely with the GLA, London Councils and our College Principles. We are working collaboratively to develop Skills Bootcamps in line with priority sectors and we also support the mayor’s priorities around Good Work for Londoners.
Asked by: Lord De Mauley (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to match Ukrainian refugees wishing to come to the UK with job opportunities matching their specific (1) skills, (2) training, and (3) experience.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Government’s new Ukraine Family Scheme and ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme will help thousands of Ukrainian families and individuals to enter the country. DWP is working closely with the Home Office to understand potential demand.
Under these schemes Ukrainian evacuees will have the right to work here from day one, as well as immediate access to the benefit system and our existing employment offer, including our £30 billion Plan for Jobs. Ukrainian evacuees who claim benefits like Universal Credit will have access to direct, personalised employment support from experienced Jobcentre Plus work coaches, who will help them to find and move into employment, with extra support available through DWP’s Flexible Support Fund. Translation services are available to help new arrivals with phone applications, with Work Coaches in DWP Jobcentres on hand to support people making claims online. DWP staff are also delivering additional face-to-face assistance to those who need it – including tailored support to find work and advice on benefit eligibility – and will continue to do so.
DWP’s National Employer Partnerships Team (NEPT) has received a number of approaches from employers relating to Ukrainian evacuees.
Timeframes are still being finalised and there is regular discussion with Other Government Departments. Refugee Employment Network are also linked into activity and will be involved in sharing opportunities.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to provide (1) support, and (2) protection, for the staff of P&O Ferries who were made redundant on 17 March.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stands ready to support anyone affected by this announcement, with our Rapid Response Service (RRS) offer. This is a service designed to give support and advice to employers and their employees when faced with redundancy.
The range of support available from Jobcentre Plus and partners may include:
In addition, DWP is also working closely with the Department for Transport to implement a unique portal on the Aviation Skills Retention Platform (ASRP) for workers affected by the P&O redundancy. The portal has been designed to directly target individuals affected to provide visibility of jobs in aviation and wider transport sectors. The new portal will provide all registered companies with the opportunity to engage with P&O Ferries workers, highlighting opportunities to the group as a whole, rather than individually, and ensure workers can be approached with a range of opportunities that match their skills.
Information on other Government programmes on retraining such as Department for Educations Skills Bootcamps and Apprenticeships will also be shared with affected P&O employees.