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Building Britain's Future

My hon. Friend is right to emphasise the point of whether we can be flexible in responding to the needs of young people. I heard that message this morning at my regional economic cabinet, and I will take that point back to colleagues in Whitehall. The important thing is that it is taxpayers’ public money that we invest, and we need to ensure that the money is targeted where it will have the most impact. All the evidence and research from previous recessions show that up to six months, people may be in and out of job opportunities and training, but that after six months, their self-esteem and self-confidence go down, their connection with services that might help them disappears and they become the lost generation. The reason why we target resources at six months and again at 10 months is that, if we do not get people at those points, they could be lost for ever, and that must not be allowed to happen. We target the resources at people who have been out of work for more than six months because it is very important that they are not allowed to slip away. Obviously, there is support, advice and training that people can turn to before then, but that is when the real resources go in and when there is one-to-one monitoring and attention. My hon. Friend also made a point about flexibility. I have heard that elsewhere in the region today, and I will take that back to my ministerial colleagues. The future jobs fund, a key part of the programme that is available, was announced here in the east midlands—in fact, in this very building. We will receive £15 million from the first round of the fund, potentially creating more than 2,400 jobs. It is vital that we recognise the importance of young people, and I am pleased that one of the most popular national indicator targets for local authorities in the east midlands is that of reducing the number of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training; it was chosen by eight out of nine areas. I hope that we are working together with colleagues in local government and other agencies to achieve that outcome. The importance of the housing and growth agenda in the east midlands should not be underestimated as part of economic development, and other colleagues have remarked on that in earlier parts of our discussions. We are the fastest-growing region in England. It is expected that, by 2016, there will be 500,000 more residents in our region than at present. For most people, their home is one of the most important things in their lives. We want everyone to have access to a decent home at a price that they can afford, in a place where they want to live and work. That is why I have supported the delivery of the east midlands regional plan, which sets out the number of new homes that are needed in the region; and it is why, in particular, I welcome the extra £1.5 billion of investment over the next two years as part of Building Britain’s Future, for the building of 20,000 new affordable homes and the creation of more jobs in the construction and related sectors.