Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Kirsty McNeill and Graeme Downie(3 weeks, 2 days ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar) (Lab)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)
Too many young people are spending their early years of adulthood out of work or education. The youth guarantee is our commitment to ensuring that every young person across Great Britain can access support in order to earn or learn. Last month we launched the youth jobs grant, which will provide a £3,000 incentive for employers to recruit eligible young people aged 18 to 24 who have been on universal credit for six months.
Graeme Downie
Young people make a hugely positive contribution to our communities, but for months, sadly, we have seen physical assaults and antisocial behaviour at Dunfermline bus station, perpetrated by a small minority of young offenders. Innocent citizens, both young and old, have been badly hurt, and many are afraid to use the bus station at night. Although justice is devolved, the local Member of the Scottish Parliament has not said a word about the matter. Does the Minister agree that the behaviour of this minority does not represent Scotland’s young people, and will she do everything she can to force the SNP Scottish Government to do more to protect local people? What steps can the UK Government take to support the vast majority of young people who are making positive choices and deserve hope, opportunity and a bright future?
Kirsty McNeill
There is simply no excuse for this kind of senseless violence and antisocial behaviour, and I am very saddened to hear about the impact that it has had on my hon. Friend’s constituents. I agree that the vast majority of young people want to improve their lives and contribute to their communities. This Government have committed more than £1.5 billion to support nearly 1 million young people and create up to 50,000 opportunities for them to earn and learn throughout Great Britain.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Kirsty McNeill and Graeme Downie(1 year, 5 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Kirsty McNeill
I do believe in this policy, in the same way I believe in all the announcements we made in the Budget. As is so often the case with Conservative Members, they will the ends of the Budget but not the means. If the hon. Lady wants changes to the public services that people in both our constituencies rely on, we need to have the revenue to pay for them. That is what this Budget was all about: cleaning up the mess we inherited and getting the investment into public services that is so desperately required.
Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar) (Lab)
As we know, one of the best ways to grow employment in Scotland is through apprenticeships. A few weeks ago, this UK Labour Government announced changes to apprenticeships in England that will allow businesses to work more closely with colleges and other skills providers to ensure there is a job at the end of apprenticeships. In Scotland, meanwhile, all we see is stagnation in skills policy, which is reducing opportunities for young people in my constituency and across the country. Will the Minister make every effort to press the Scottish Government to properly reform apprenticeships in Scotland and give young people and others the opportunities they need and deserve?
Kirsty McNeill
I certainly will. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for all he does to promote apprentices and skills, and particularly apprentices in our defence industry, who are doing so much to keep Scotland, the UK and, indeed, the world safe.