Oral Answers to Questions

James Cleverly Excerpts

Monday 11th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

With respect, the answer is twofold. First, there has been a gradual introduction of universal credit and, secondly, the pilot scheme is in respect of managed migration.

[James Cleverly (Braintree) (Con)]

11. What steps she is taking to increase employment opportunities for care leavers.

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

18. What steps she is taking to increase employment opportunities for care leavers.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Justin Tomlinson)]

Building on recent announcements, I have just held two roundtables with care leavers and care leaver charities. The next step is to meet employers to explore how we can further improve job opportunities for care leavers.

[James Cleverly]

I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. Prior to universal credit, under the legacy system, care leavers and other vulnerable jobseekers were just left to sign on but now, with tailored support and work coaches, that has changed. Now that youth unemployment is at record low levels, what is the Minister’s Department doing to make sure that work coaches are helping care leavers to find not just a job but the right job for them?

[Justin Tomlinson]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend, who has championed this area for a number of years, particularly during his time under the former Mayor of London as his youth ambassador. We recognise that the key is to build a personalised and positive relationship between the work coach and the care leaver. We have been working very closely with the Children’s Society and Barnardo’s to improve both the guidance and the training for all our frontline work coaches.