Oral Answers to Questions

Alex McIntyre Excerpts

Monday 12th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

The hon. Member is right to say that the devolution map in England is uneven. I urge him to wait for the White Paper later this year, when we will have more to say about that. However, we believe that locally delivered services in employment support can break down the departmental barriers that have too often dogged getting the right help to people at the right time. People are human beings, not departmental clients, and it is time we treated them as such. Delivering more services locally can help us do that.

[Alex McIntyre (Gloucester) (Lab)]

7. What recent progress Alan Milburn has made on producing the final “Young People and Work” report.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)]

Alan Milburn delivered his interim report a few months ago and will deliver his final report in a few weeks’ time. I thank Alan Milburn for his tremendous work highlighting the issue of youth inactivity. I look forward to his final report.

[Alex McIntyre]

Ahead of Alan Milburn’s report, in Gloucester there are over 2,500 young people not in employment, education or training. I have spoken with many of them across the last two years who want an opportunity but have been let down by the system. Something needs to change. At the end of November, I am hosting the Gloucestershire Futures summit with Gloucestershire county council. We have invited schools and colleges, local employers, healthcare providers, local government and the third sector in an effort to get everyone in the room to discuss how we can solve the problem together. I know the Secretary of State has a long list of constituencies to visit after today’s questions, but he also shares my determination to give every young person the opportunity to fulfil their potential, so will he or one of his team join us for the summit at the end of November?

[Pat McFadden]

I will add the summit to the list of places to go. I would dearly love to visit my hon. Friend’s constituency, and if I cannot, I will ensure that one of my colleagues does. On the point of substance that he raises, the problem of youth inactivity in the country has built up over many years, and not enough has been done about it in the past. We now have the youth guarantee, which is investing in the issue. We know that there is more that we must do, which is why we are looking forward to the final report from Alan Milburn in a few weeks’ time.