Summer Jobs

Debate between Chris Vince and Gareth Davies

Tuesday 7th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Gareth Davies]

Of course, that is exactly why the previous Conservative Government had such a huge focus on skills, training and vocational courses. My own constituency of Grantham and Stamford benefited at the time from much-needed funding to boost skills and vocational training, so my right hon. Friend is absolutely right.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

Will the hon. Member give way?

[Gareth Davies]

I give way to the hon. Member for Harlow.

[Chris Vince]

The hon. Member nearly forgot which constituency I represent, which would have been disappointing.

I do not agree with some of the conclusions the hon. Member is making and will make—for example, young people being out of work has been an issue for far longer than two years—but on skills, where I think we can find some cross-party consensus, there is a need to embed some skills earlier in young people’s education. Does he agree on the need to broaden the curriculum to include those vital employment-related skills at an earlier age? I am thinking of financial education and computer literacy, for example.

[Gareth Davies]

I will always agree on the need for financial literacy, but the point we are making today is that we believe in work—work as a route out of poverty, work as a way to increase the prosperity of this country—and we are highlighting the red tape that is now strangling businesses and preventing them from hiring young workers, which would otherwise give them a step on the ladder.