The government recognises the importance of digital skills for employability and participation in society. This is why we introduced a legal entitlement in August 2020 for adults with no or low digital skills to study new Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQs) at entry level and level 1 for free. The digital entitlement mirrors the existing legal entitlements for English and maths and will provide adults with the digital skills needed for life and work. EDSQs are a new qualification type, based on new national standards for essential digital skills, designed to meet the diverse needs of adults with no or low digital skills. We also continue to support the provision of basic digital skills training for adults in community learning settings through the Adult Education Budget.

In April 2020, we launched The Skills Toolkit, which packages up over 70 free, high quality courses from everyday maths and essential digital skills, to digital marketing and coding.

We have also introduced the Skills Bootcamps, which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving adults aged 19 and over the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. In September 2020, these were launched in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Liverpool City Region (including Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral). They were initially focused on digital skills such as software development, digital marketing and data analytics. They will be extended to West Yorkshire, Devon, Somerset, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in the new year. The bootcamps provide the valuable skills that employers need and are linked to job opportunities.

From April 2021, we will be investing a further £43 million through the National Skills Fund to extend Skills Bootcamps further in England. These bootcamps will cover not only digital skills but also technical skills training including welding, engineering and construction.

As part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, from April 2021 any adult aged 24 and over looking to achieve their first level 3 (which is equivalent to a technical certificate or diploma, or two full A levels) will be able to access a fully funded course. The offer includes a range of qualifications that are valuable across the economy in multiple sectors including digital skills.

From early 2021, to support older people to find work and build the skills they need to get into work, the Jobcentre Plus will provide a new online one-to-one job finding support service to those who have been unemployed for up to 13 weeks to increase their chances of finding employment.

We have launched Local Digital Skills Partnerships (DSPs) in seven trailblazer regions across England. Local DSPs bring together cross-sector regional and national partners to work collaboratively to upskill the current workforce, advance digital inclusion, and build thriving regional economies. Local DSPs have been playing an important role in the response to COVID-19, collaborating with local organisations and national partners to help individuals and businesses build digital skills and resilience, and support vulnerable groups gain access to digital devices and connectivity.

We have also delivered a £400,000 Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to help older and disabled people acquire digital skills. The three pilots aimed to help ensure that ‘what works’ on digital inclusion is identified, replicated and scaled. One of the pilots, run by the Uttlesford Council for Voluntary Service in West Essex, has designed ‘smart homes’ where more ‘tech savvy’ older homeowners are trained by ‘digital boomers’ on how to use the technology that is added to their homes. This allows these older people to showcase how to use the technology within their own homes to their peers before they have their own homes made into a smart home. A full independent evaluation will be published soon to share learnings from this fund.

In the latest data for August – October 2020 the estimated number economically inactive aged 16-64 was 8,602,000. Further information on this can be found here.

Source: ONS Labour Force Survey. Estimate is seasonally adjusted. Economically inactive individuals are not employed and have not looked for work in the last four weeks and/or are not available to start work within the next two weeks.

Ferry services between Ireland and the ports of Holyhead and Fishguard are a matter for the respective Irish and Welsh governments. There have been no direct discussions with Irish Ferries concerning services between Ireland and Pembroke Dock which is part of the Port of Milford Haven. Milford Haven is a reserved major Trust Port.

However, the Department has had regular engagement with the full breath of the maritime sector including ferry operators and Trade Unions. Any operational decisions that could cause potential job losses are regrettable and the Department will continue to engage relevant parties. However, the impact of the global pandemic has created significant challenges and the Department recognises that operators have to make difficult commercial decisions.

My hon. Friend, the Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills recently met with my hon. Friend, the Minister for Employment to discuss how our respective departments can work even more closely on the skills and employment agenda to ensure people are equipped with the skills they need for their futures and are informed about their options.

We know that 13.1% of 18-24 year olds in the UK were not in education, employment or training (NEET) in July – September 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics, which represents a fall on the same quarter from last year (13.3% July – September 2019). We will continue to monitor the NEET rate and review the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on young people NEET.

As part of my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Plan for Jobs, we made a number of skills commitments such as a significant expansion of the traineeships programme, the introduction of high value courses for year 13 leavers to continue in learning and payments for employers to hire new apprentices. We are tripling the scale of the traineeship programme to help even more young people who are NEET or at risk of being NEET, prepare for apprenticeships and work through a combination of sector-focused skills development and work experience. Alongside the expansion, we have reformed the traineeship programme to enable providers to deliver a more flexible and tailored programme during the COVID-19 outbreak. We are working with employers to develop sector-focused models of traineeships that prepare young people for specific roles, such as construction.

The National Careers Service in the community prioritises those aged 18-24 NEET and supports those most in need of intensive careers advice and guidance.

Kickstart and the introduction of Youth Hubs by the Department for Work and Pensions will also create many high quality work placements for young people claiming Universal Credit deemed at risk of long-term unemployment. More sector-based work academy programmes will provide vocational training and guaranteed interviews for more people, helping them gain the skills needed for jobs in their local area. We will be monitoring progress and take up of these offers alongside NEET numbers.

Estimates of the level and rate of unemployment are compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) using the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). The LFS provides national and regional unemployment estimates whilst the APS, which boosts the sample of the LFS, allows more local analysis.

Estimates are based on a sample of cases and therefore subject to sampling uncertainty. Unemployment estimates at geographies below regions, such as local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, can be more statistically uncertain. The confidence intervals given in Table 2 in the Annex reflect the level of uncertainty around the rates given, with confidence intervals (and therefore uncertainty in the figure) generally increasing as the underlying sample size decreases.

The Annex sets out the constituency level information asked for. All estimates of unemployment and the claimant count used the Annex are also publicly available on the NOMIS website (https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/).

Table 1 of the Annex gives the latest figures from the LFS on the unemployment levels and rates for the relevant regions for the named constituencies.

Table 2 of the Annex gives the latest estimate from the APS on the levels and rates of unemployment for the named constituencies. These figures, where available, should be treated as indicative, rather than precise, due to the heightened level of sample variability of estimates at this level of geography due to the small sample of people the estimate is based upon. Where the sample is too small to derive an estimate, figures are not given. The rates given express the proportion of the economically active population (those in work plus those seeking and available to work) who are unemployed, in line with the International Labour Organization definition of unemployment.

Table 3 of the Annex gives the latest figures on the Claimant Count for the named constituencies. The Claimant Count is based on administrative data and can be broken down robustly to constituency level, and as such, there are no confidence intervals around the figures. The Claimant Count is the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work. The rates given express the number of claimants as a percentage of the population aged 16-64.

Estimates of the level and rate of unemployment are compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) using the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). The LFS provides national and regional unemployment estimates whilst the APS, which boosts the sample of the LFS, allows more local analysis.

Estimates are based on a sample of cases and therefore subject to sampling uncertainty. Unemployment estimates at geographies below regions, such as local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, can be more statistically uncertain. The confidence intervals given in Table 2 in the Annex reflect the level of uncertainty around the rates given, with confidence intervals (and therefore uncertainty in the figure) generally increasing as the underlying sample size decreases.

The Annex sets out the constituency level information asked for. All estimates of unemployment and the claimant count used the Annex are also publicly available on the NOMIS website (https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/).

Table 1 of the Annex gives the latest figures from the LFS on the unemployment levels and rates for the relevant regions for the named constituencies.

Table 2 of the Annex gives the latest estimate from the APS on the levels and rates of unemployment for the named constituencies. These figures, where available, should be treated as indicative, rather than precise, due to the heightened level of sample variability of estimates at this level of geography due to the small sample of people the estimate is based upon. Where the sample is too small to derive an estimate, figures are not given. The rates given express the proportion of the economically active population (those in work plus those seeking and available to work) who are unemployed, in line with the International Labour Organization definition of unemployment.

Table 3 of the Annex gives the latest figures on the Claimant Count for the named constituencies. The Claimant Count is based on administrative data and can be broken down robustly to constituency level, and as such, there are no confidence intervals around the figures. The Claimant Count is the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work. The rates given express the number of claimants as a percentage of the population aged 16-64.

Estimates of the level and rate of unemployment are compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) using the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). The LFS provides national and regional unemployment estimates whilst the APS, which boosts the sample of the LFS, allows more local analysis.

Estimates are based on a sample of cases and therefore subject to sampling uncertainty. Unemployment estimates at geographies below regions, such as local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, can be more statistically uncertain. The confidence intervals given in Table 2 in the Annex reflect the level of uncertainty around the rates given, with confidence intervals (and therefore uncertainty in the figure) generally increasing as the underlying sample size decreases.

The Annex sets out the constituency level information asked for. All estimates of unemployment and the claimant count used the Annex are also publicly available on the NOMIS website (https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/).

Table 1 of the Annex gives the latest figures from the LFS on the unemployment levels and rates for the relevant regions for the named constituencies.

Table 2 of the Annex gives the latest estimate from the APS on the levels and rates of unemployment for the named constituencies. These figures, where available, should be treated as indicative, rather than precise, due to the heightened level of sample variability of estimates at this level of geography due to the small sample of people the estimate is based upon. Where the sample is too small to derive an estimate, figures are not given. The rates given express the proportion of the economically active population (those in work plus those seeking and available to work) who are unemployed, in line with the International Labour Organization definition of unemployment.

Table 3 of the Annex gives the latest figures on the Claimant Count for the named constituencies. The Claimant Count is based on administrative data and can be broken down robustly to constituency level, and as such, there are no confidence intervals around the figures. The Claimant Count is the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work. The rates given express the number of claimants as a percentage of the population aged 16-64.

Estimates of the level and rate of unemployment are compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) using the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). The LFS provides national and regional unemployment estimates whilst the APS, which boosts the sample of the LFS, allows more local analysis.

Estimates are based on a sample of cases and therefore subject to sampling uncertainty. Unemployment estimates at geographies below regions, such as local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, can be more statistically uncertain. The confidence intervals given in Table 2 in the Annex reflect the level of uncertainty around the rates given, with confidence intervals (and therefore uncertainty in the figure) generally increasing as the underlying sample size decreases.

The Annex sets out the constituency level information asked for. All estimates of unemployment and the claimant count used the Annex are also publicly available on the NOMIS website (https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/).

Table 1 of the Annex gives the latest figures from the LFS on the unemployment levels and rates for the relevant regions for the named constituencies.

Table 2 of the Annex gives the latest estimate from the APS on the levels and rates of unemployment for the named constituencies. These figures, where available, should be treated as indicative, rather than precise, due to the heightened level of sample variability of estimates at this level of geography due to the small sample of people the estimate is based upon. Where the sample is too small to derive an estimate, figures are not given. The rates given express the proportion of the economically active population (those in work plus those seeking and available to work) who are unemployed, in line with the International Labour Organization definition of unemployment.

Table 3 of the Annex gives the latest figures on the Claimant Count for the named constituencies. The Claimant Count is based on administrative data and can be broken down robustly to constituency level, and as such, there are no confidence intervals around the figures. The Claimant Count is the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work. The rates given express the number of claimants as a percentage of the population aged 16-64.

A range of evidence shows that being unemployed can negatively affect an individual’s health. Several studies of the UK recession following the financial crisis in 2008 associated it with a rise in health problems, particularly mental health problems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many factors apart from labour market conditions may affect population health.

The Government has put in place a variety of support to help people stay healthy and to help people who may be experiencing health problems to stay in work or find work. On 23 November, we published our Wellbeing and Mental Health Support plan for COVID-19, which sets out the support available for people in the context of a second wave and the winter months.

The latest Office for National Statistics labour market figures show a level of unemployment of 1.6 million. This has increased by around 260,000 since the start of the pandemic. As part of our plan for jobs package, the DWP has launched new programmes, including kickstart, JETS and the job finding support service to help people who have been impacted by the pandemic to find new employment.

What assessment she has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on levels of unemployment.

I join my right hon. Friend in paying tribute to the hard work and commitment of the Harlow jobcentre staff throughout these difficult times. We are in active discussions on a new DWP youth hub in Harlow. Those at Harlow jobcentre, alongside our 600-plus other jobcentres, do an immense job daily, encouraging and helping our most vulnerable claimants and supporting all individuals based on their circumstances, and that is where kickstart and other programmes will come in.

Jobcentres do work locally with external partners—with charities, local employers and key organisations across Harlow and elsewhere—on local recovery plans and local needs.

My hon. Friend will be aware that since March, because of covid, youth unemployment in my constituency of Harlow has, sadly, risen by 134%. Will my hon. Friend pay tribute to the extraordinary work of the Harlow jobcentre, and to the education, skills and training provided by Harlow further education college, which will be at the forefront of creating jobs? Can she set out how Harlow businesses can access the kickstart scheme and the apprentice funding announced by the Chancellor?

Last week the Chancellor described the scale of the unemployment crisis in the UK when he said that we could be facing 2.6 million people out of work next year.

The Government’s major announcement to tackle that was the restart programme, but analysis of the spending review document shows that restart will not get up to scale until 2022, a full year after unemployment has peaked, so what will the Government be doing next year, as unemployment peaks, to help people get through the crisis?