Oral Answers to Questions

Anneliese Midgley Excerpts

Monday 9th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Josh Dean (Hertford and Stortford) (Lab)]

13. What steps he is taking to support young people into employment, education or training.

[Anneliese Midgley (Knowsley) (Lab)]

21. What steps he is taking to support young people into employment, education or training.

[Alex McIntyre (Gloucester) (Lab)]

25. What steps he is taking to support young people into employment, education or training.

--- Later in debate ---

[Pat McFadden]

I know that my hon. Friend has spoken movingly about his own experience with ADHD. I assure him that Alan Milburn, a former Health Secretary who is carrying out this report for us, is in regular contact with the chair and secretariat of the independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, which is being carried out by the Department of Health and Social Care. More broadly, we should support young people, try to increase their confidence and ensure they do not conclude that a diagnosis means that they cannot work, because that should not be the conclusion reached. Many people who do have a diagnosis can go on to have very productive working lives.

[Anneliese Midgley]

Last week I met with Knowsley chamber of commerce, and we all welcomed the Government’s youth guarantee. Some 55,000 placements is a great start, but no scheme starts are currently planned in Knowsley, where the likelihood of young people not being in employment, education or training is higher than average. Will the Secretary of State commit to expanding the scheme and meet me and Knowsley chamber of commerce to discuss how we can get more young people into good jobs in Knowsley?

[Pat McFadden]

My hon. Friend has spoken powerfully of how unemployment in her constituency has scarred generations. I assure her that the youth guarantee will become nationwide by the end of the year. We have to break the cycle of intergenerational unemployment that she has spoken about, and I share her desire to be more ambitious in that area. I am very happy to keep up a dialogue with her and to meet with her, or to have a fellow Minister in the team do so.