To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to specialist employment support for disabled veterans in South Lanarkshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to specialist employment support for disabled veterans in South Lanarkshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job advertisements were first published on Find a Job during 2025; and how many contained no numerical salary or pay range in the salary fields, additional salary information or job description, and for the breakdown of these listings...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job advertisements were first published on Find a Job during 2025; and how many contained no numerical salary or pay range in the salary fields, additional salary information or job description, and for the breakdown of these listings...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to provide targeted employment support in Leicester East constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to provide targeted employment support in Leicester East constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support mid-career and experienced unemployed professionals to transition into roles that match their existing skills, qualifications, and experience level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support mid-career and experienced unemployed professionals to transition into roles that match their existing skills, qualifications, and experience level.

To ask His Majesty's Government what functions the Department for Work and Pensions’ Work Hub provides that are not already provided by Jobcentre Plus; and how the Work Hub will complement rather than duplicate existing Jobcentre services.

To ask His Majesty's Government what functions the Department for Work and Pensions’ Work Hub provides that are not already provided by Jobcentre Plus; and how the Work Hub will complement rather than duplicate existing Jobcentre services.

To ask His Majesty's Government what expenditure they have incurred to date on the development and implementation of the Work Hub, and what they estimate the annual running cost of the Work Hub to be.

To ask His Majesty's Government what expenditure they have incurred to date on the development and implementation of the Work Hub, and what they estimate the annual running cost of the Work Hub to be.

To ask His Majesty's Government how many additional full-time equivalent staff they estimate will be required to (1) operate, (2) maintain, and (3) further develop, their Work Hub.

To ask His Majesty's Government how many additional full-time equivalent staff they estimate will be required to (1) operate, (2) maintain, and (3) further develop, their Work Hub.

To ask His Majesty's Government what specific objectives and measurable outcomes they have set for the Work Hub; and by what criteria they will assess whether the service has been successful.

To ask His Majesty's Government what specific objectives and measurable outcomes they have set for the Work Hub; and by what criteria they will assess whether the service has been successful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to provide targeted employment and skills support to those constituencies where the claimant count rate exceeds the national average, including Leicester East constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to provide targeted employment and skills support to those constituencies where the claimant count rate exceeds the national average, including Leicester East constituency.

What steps he is taking to support employment in rural areas.

What steps he is taking to support employment in rural areas.

What steps he is taking to support young people into employment.

What steps he is taking to support young people into employment.

I can give my hon. Friend that reassurance. The Government are investing an additional £2.5 billion in the youth guarantee, which includes funding for youth hubs and the growth and skills levy by 2029, supporting almost 1 million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. Connect to Work, which will support around 300,000 people, is intended to run until March 2030, with multi-year grant agreements to support long-term local planning and delivery.

I can give my hon. Friend that reassurance. The Government are investing an additional £2.5 billion in the youth guarantee, which includes funding for youth hubs and the growth and skills levy by 2029, supporting almost 1 million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. Connect to Work, which will support around 300,000 people, is intended to run until March 2030, with multi-year grant agreements to support long-term local planning and delivery.

We have announced an additional £2.5 billion, as part of the youth guarantee, to create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn over the next few years, and we have begun to roll this out across Great Britain. The gateway to the youth guarantee is available in jobcentres. We are expanding youth hubs, we have launched the £3,000 youth jobs grant, and we are rolling out the jobs guarantee for young people who are long-term unemployed. I recently met the first beneficiaries of the jobs guarantee at Boots headquarters in Nottingham and saw the huge difference that having a job made to the young people taking part.

We have announced an additional £2.5 billion, as part of the youth guarantee, to create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn over the next few years, and we have begun to roll this out across Great Britain. The gateway to the youth guarantee is available in jobcentres. We are expanding youth hubs, we have launched the £3,000 youth jobs grant, and we are rolling out the jobs guarantee for young people who are long-term unemployed. I recently met the first beneficiaries of the jobs guarantee at Boots headquarters in Nottingham and saw the huge difference that having a job made to the young people taking part.

I thank the Minister for Employment for joining me to mark the opening of the Uxbridge job hub a few weeks ago, and I am sure he will join me in thanking the college, the jobcentre, the chamber of commerce and the many others who made it a reality.

One group who still experience the biggest employment gap are young people with special educational needs. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that the job hubs, and the youth guarantee offer more broadly, are inclusive of young people with SEND and that they also see the benefits?

I thank the Minister for Employment for joining me to mark the opening of the Uxbridge job hub a few weeks ago, and I am sure he will join me in thanking the college, the jobcentre, the chamber of commerce and the many others who made it a reality.

One group who still experience the biggest employment gap are young people with special educational needs. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that the job hubs, and the youth guarantee offer more broadly, are inclusive of young people with SEND and that they also see the benefits?

I thank my hon. Friend for the campaigning that he has done on this issue, and the Minister for Employment enjoyed cutting the ribbon at the Future Start youth hub a few weeks ago. My hon. Friend is absolutely right in what he says. We need to end the culture of “signed off and written off”, and we want all young people, including those with special educational needs, to benefit from the youth guarantee. That is why youth hubs work closely with our work coaches and disability employment advisers, as well as local partners. The idea is that whatever condition people have, we try to give them the opportunities that are available and help them to live the fullest life.

I thank my hon. Friend for the campaigning that he has done on this issue, and the Minister for Employment enjoyed cutting the ribbon at the Future Start youth hub a few weeks ago. My hon. Friend is absolutely right in what he says. We need to end the culture of “signed off and written off”, and we want all young people, including those with special educational needs, to benefit from the youth guarantee. That is why youth hubs work closely with our work coaches and disability employment advisers, as well as local partners. The idea is that whatever condition people have, we try to give them the opportunities that are available and help them to live the fullest life.

Just last week, I had the privilege of visiting Derwentside college in my constituency to see the amazing work it does in linking to employers in a range of sectors across the region, ensuring that every qualification offered can lead to real employment opportunities across Durham and the region. From care to construction, there are real opportunities to tackle the issues for young people currently not in education, employment or training. Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the college on the work it does, and will he join me on a visit to see that incredible work in practice?

Just last week, I had the privilege of visiting Derwentside college in my constituency to see the amazing work it does in linking to employers in a range of sectors across the region, ensuring that every qualification offered can lead to real employment opportunities across Durham and the region. From care to construction, there are real opportunities to tackle the issues for young people currently not in education, employment or training. Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the college on the work it does, and will he join me on a visit to see that incredible work in practice?

I am very happy to echo my hon. Friend’s congratulations to Derwentside college on all the work it is doing. With regard to a visit, I will do the best I can. I know that she is a passionate advocate for the college, and if I get an opportunity to visit, I most certainly will.

I am very happy to echo my hon. Friend’s congratulations to Derwentside college on all the work it is doing. With regard to a visit, I will do the best I can. I know that she is a passionate advocate for the college, and if I get an opportunity to visit, I most certainly will.

The Prime Minister hit the nail on the head when he said that too many young people have been failed by a schools system that focused too much

“on the university route, and not enough on technical education.”

It is not surprising that the number of young people on benefits has grown so significantly when the education system has failed to equip them with the skills they need for today’s jobs market. When I speak to unemployed young people in my constituency, they tell me that they are desperate to find work not just for the pay, but for a sense of purpose and the independence to shape their own future. The choice before us is clear: invest in young people’s success or create a lifetime of dependency, carrying a huge price for the taxpayer. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that we need to invest in young people’s success rather than leave them to languish on benefits?

The Prime Minister hit the nail on the head when he said that too many young people have been failed by a schools system that focused too much

“on the university route, and not enough on technical education.”

It is not surprising that the number of young people on benefits has grown so significantly when the education system has failed to equip them with the skills they need for today’s jobs market. When I speak to unemployed young people in my constituency, they tell me that they are desperate to find work not just for the pay, but for a sense of purpose and the independence to shape their own future. The choice before us is clear: invest in young people’s success or create a lifetime of dependency, carrying a huge price for the taxpayer. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that we need to invest in young people’s success rather than leave them to languish on benefits?

Yes, I do agree with my hon. Friend. She is absolutely right to say that we need to invest in opportunity and success, and she has spoken admirably about her own life experiences in this House. As I have said, we are putting forward an additional £2.5 billion of investment in the youth guarantee and the growth and skills levy. We have recently announced that we are expanding the jobs guarantee to help eligible young people receiving health-related benefits. They should not be signed off and written off. Another point raised in her question is that too often in these debates, young people are attacked in a negative narrative in which they are described as “snowflakes” and “shirkers”. She is right to say that, given the chance, young people want to work, want to have a full life and do not want to spend it on benefits.

Yes, I do agree with my hon. Friend. She is absolutely right to say that we need to invest in opportunity and success, and she has spoken admirably about her own life experiences in this House. As I have said, we are putting forward an additional £2.5 billion of investment in the youth guarantee and the growth and skills levy. We have recently announced that we are expanding the jobs guarantee to help eligible young people receiving health-related benefits. They should not be signed off and written off. Another point raised in her question is that too often in these debates, young people are attacked in a negative narrative in which they are described as “snowflakes” and “shirkers”. She is right to say that, given the chance, young people want to work, want to have a full life and do not want to spend it on benefits.

Youth hubs such as that based in Inclusion Education in Basingstoke provide fantastic opportunities for young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, to learn and to work. Could the Secretary of State say a bit more about how youth hubs are helping to deliver the youth guarantee so that young people can realise their potential? Having heard that the Minister for Employment opened the youth hub in Uxbridge, may I ask whether the Secretary of State or the Minister might consider a visit to Basingstoke youth hub to discuss young people’s challenges and opportunities?

Youth hubs such as that based in Inclusion Education in Basingstoke provide fantastic opportunities for young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, to learn and to work. Could the Secretary of State say a bit more about how youth hubs are helping to deliver the youth guarantee so that young people can realise their potential? Having heard that the Minister for Employment opened the youth hub in Uxbridge, may I ask whether the Secretary of State or the Minister might consider a visit to Basingstoke youth hub to discuss young people’s challenges and opportunities?