Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [ Lords ] (Fifth sitting)

Ben Bradley Excerpts

Committee stage
Tuesday 7th December 2021 Public Bill Committees

[Ben Bradley (Mansfield) (Con)]

I shared many of the hon. Gentleman’s concerns so I went to the Department for Education to seek clarity. As I understand it, many of the things that he is suggesting are already possible. Under both the current system and the new proposals, if a job coach accepts that a qualification would help someone into work, that coach can already approve that qualification and allow someone to do that training instead of job seeking under the work-based requirements for universal credit. Someone can also do a part-time qualification outside of working hours and still receive universal credit. Does he accept that that is true and perhaps contradicts some of his comments?

[The Chair]

Before Mr Perkins responds, may I remind Members that an intervention is just that; if you want to make a speech, make a speech.