All 1 Debates between Baroness Falkner of Margravine and Baroness Stedman-Scott

Unemployment Figures

Debate between Baroness Falkner of Margravine and Baroness Stedman-Scott
Thursday 20th October 2022

(2 years, 1 month ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Falkner of Margravine Portrait Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)
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My Lords, can the Minister comment on a particular sector which is very adversely affected in terms of economic inactivity: that is, older women, particularly ethnic minority women, who suffer from digital exclusion? Is she able to say what conversations her department is having with employers to facilitate training to bring back into the workplace older women who now, due to the Covid changeovers in working practices, have become excluded due to technology?

Baroness Stedman-Scott Portrait Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con)
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I sometimes worry about using the term “older workers”, but rising economic inactivity in the over-50s is contributing to shortages in the labour market. We are working with employers: one example in terms of technology and skills is the STEM returners work task force that we have introduced. In that way, we are trying to upskill people who have left the workforce and get their skills back on STEM so they can go into high-paid work.