Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the success of the Youth Offer and Kickstart scheme against their stated aims of supporting those under 25 to find employment.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Evaluations of the Youth Offer and the Kickstart Scheme are ongoing.

The Kickstart evaluation will continue to assess the longer-term outcomes for Kickstart participants after they have completed their six-month jobs. The commissioned process evaluation will conclude in Spring 2023.

We aim to publish the findings of the Kickstart Scheme evaluation once complete.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the pilot trial changes to Youth Rehabilitation Orders with Intensive Supervision and Surveillance will commence; and when they will report on their findings.

Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Piloting the changes to Youth Rehabilitation Orders with Intensive Supervision and Surveillance are subject to the passage of secondary legislation which we intend to lay shortly. If passed, we intend that the new powers will come into force by summer 2023 for an initial 18-month period in selected areas. An evaluation will determine whether to fully roll out the changes. Publication of the findings will follow, but an exact date has not yet been decided.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many children are being held on remand in the most recent period for which data is available; and whether they are taking steps to reduce this.

Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

As at 31 March 2023, there were 244 children and young people remanded to custody in the Youth Secure Estate (this figure includes 18-year-olds). Remanding a child to custody must always be a last resort, however that option must remain open to the courts where it is necessary to protect the public.

In 2022, the Government strengthened the tests the courts must satisfy to remand a child to custody, through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act, and published a review of the use of custodial remand for children. We continue to work through the review’s recommendations with youth justice partners to ensure custodial remand is used proportionately. This includes launching a consultation in summer 2023 on options for reforming remand grant funding to facilitate better use of community provision and services for children at risk of custodial remand.

The Government commissioned a forthcoming HMI Probation, HMI Prisons and Ofsted independent joint thematic inspection on youth remand, which will help identify further opportunities for reducing the number of children on remand.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in improving the availability of sport and physical activity for women and girls in the criminal justice system; and what plans they have to expand provision.

Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Encouraging engagement in sport and exercise amongst women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system can have a significant impact on reducing reoffending through both early intervention and diversionary activities, as well as rehabilitation for those sentenced.

The Youth Justice Sport Fund is therefore funding over 200 voluntary and community sector organisations to carry out targeted work supporting children vulnerable to crime, using sport to address problem behaviour. We anticipate that 21-40% of the children being supported by the fund will be girls, which is lower than the national population but higher than the percentage of the offending population who are female (15%). While girls can access nearly all these services, a small number of these organisations specifically focus on girls as the primary cohort for early intervention. The evaluation report for the Fund will examine how future funding in sport can best engage and support girls at risk of entering the youth justice system.

We are continually improving our sport and Physical Education (PE) offer to all prisons, in particular by strengthening specific provision in the Women’s estate. Activities such as trauma-informed Yoga training as well as pre- and post-natal instructor qualifications can improve wellbeing and prevent reoffending, especially in a prison setting. Through initiatives such as Parkrun and the Twinning Project (which connects prisons to local football clubs so prisoners can access coaching and develop new skills), we are also increasing access to activities that support resettlement both in prison and back into the community.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to improve the opportunities for sport and physical activity for women and girls in the criminal justice system.

Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Encouraging engagement in sport and exercise amongst women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system can have a significant impact on reducing reoffending through both early intervention and diversionary activities, as well as rehabilitation for those sentenced.

The Youth Justice Sport Fund is therefore funding over 200 voluntary and community sector organisations to carry out targeted work supporting children vulnerable to crime, using sport to address problem behaviour. We anticipate that 21-40% of the children being supported by the fund will be girls, which is lower than the national population but higher than the percentage of the offending population who are female (15%). While girls can access nearly all these services, a small number of these organisations specifically focus on girls as the primary cohort for early intervention. The evaluation report for the Fund will examine how future funding in sport can best engage and support girls at risk of entering the youth justice system.

We are continually improving our sport and Physical Education (PE) offer to all prisons, in particular by strengthening specific provision in the Women’s estate. Activities such as trauma-informed Yoga training as well as pre- and post-natal instructor qualifications can improve wellbeing and prevent reoffending, especially in a prison setting. Through initiatives such as Parkrun and the Twinning Project (which connects prisons to local football clubs so prisoners can access coaching and develop new skills), we are also increasing access to activities that support resettlement both in prison and back into the community.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the levels of youth unemployment in the most recent period for which data are available.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Rt Rev. the Lord Bishop of Derby

House of Lords

London SW1A 0PW

27 June 2023

Dear Lord Bishop,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what are the levels of youth unemployment in the most recent period for which data are available (HL8749).

Estimates of youth unemployment are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). These estimates are published each month in our A06 SA: Educational status and labour market status for people aged from 16 to 24 (seasonally adjusted) dataset [1] .

The latest data available, covering the period February to April 2023, estimates the number of unemployed people aged 16 to 24 years at 465,000 (10.9%).

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/educationalstatusandlabourmarketstatusforpeopleagedfrom16to24seasonallyadjusteda06sa

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Children's Society's The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, what steps the Department of Health and Social Care's Major Conditions Strategy will take to prevent poor mental health and promote wellbeing in children and young people.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As part of the development of the Major Conditions Strategy, we are considering the most effective ways to prevent and treat poor mental health and promote wellbeing for people of all ages. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders, the public and the National Health Service to identify actions that will have the most impact.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimation of the number of care-experienced young people in contact with the youth justice system.

Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of careers advice in increasing the number of apprenticeships taken on.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

There is encouraging evidence that careers advice is increasing young people’s awareness of apprenticeships and other technical options. In the 2022/23 academic year, 92% of schools reported that most students had information about the full range of apprenticeships. 86% of schools reported that most students had meaningful encounters with further education colleges. In a 2021/22 survey of 35,000 young people, responses show that awareness of apprenticeships doubles from 39% in year 7 to 81% by year 11.

There is some evidence that increased awareness can, in turn, lead to higher take-up of apprenticeships. In 2021/22, analysis found that uptake of apprenticeships was 16% higher in the schools that provided information on apprenticeships to most or all of their students compared with the schools that provided information to a small minority.

The government has introduced a range of measures that are driving this increased awareness of apprenticeships and technical options and giving them parity of prestige with academic routes.

On 1 January 2023, the strengthened provider access legislation came into force which specifies that schools must provide at least six opportunities for providers of technical education or apprenticeships to speak to all pupils, during school years 8-13. In addition, the department actively promotes apprenticeships and T Levels in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge Programme (ASK). The programme has reached over 3 million students in the past eight years, as well as over 230,000 parents and 100,000 teachers.

For post-18 options, the department has partnered with the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), which has expanded their service so that young people can see more personalised options, including apprenticeships. From 2024, students will be able to apply for apprenticeships alongside degrees on UCAS, developing a one-stop-shop for young people to find the right option for them.

The department is also promoting ‘Career Starter Apprenticeships’ suitable for young people looking for their first role after leaving full-time education. Get the Jump, a digital campaign provided by the National Careers Service, brings together all the different education and training pathways open to young people at post-16 and post-18. The campaign helps to support informed choice.

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for allowing local authorities to set their own right-to-buy discounts to reflect local circumstances.

Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)

The Government remains committed to the Right to Buy, which has helped over 2 million social housing tenants to become homeowners.

The Right to Buy is a statutory right for eligible local authority tenants across England, with the discount formulae set in regulations. This approach already recognizes higher property prices in London with a higher maximum discount for any sales inside London. This ensures a consistent offer for tenants across the country.

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the additional support required for social housing landlords as a result of the consumer regulation measures announced by the Regulator of Social Housing, including the Tenant Satisfaction Measures Standard, which are to be implemented from April 2024.

Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)

The Government recognises that there are demands on social landlords at this time, some of which relate to the introduction of revised consumer standards. It is essential that providers manage resources effectively to deliver for their residents.

All social landlords are responsible for providing safe and decent homes for their tenants and should be prioritising repairs and improvements where required. Landlords should not be looking to Government to fund bringing their social housing stock up to the required standards.

The Tenant Satisfaction Measure standard was introduced on 1 April 2023 and will come into force in April 2024. The Government has agreed to provide Local authorities with funding to meet the requirements of the Tenant Satisfaction Measure standard.

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