Oral Answers to Questions

Lisa Smart Excerpts

Monday 12th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Western]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the challenge of hidden NEETs. Youth hubs are open to all young people aged 16 to 24, regardless of benefit status, and we expect them to work closely with local authorities, schools, colleges and community organisations to identify and engage young people who may be missing out on support. There is a particular challenge with hidden NEETs, and I expect that we will be able to bear down on that problem through such place-based intelligence sharing.

[Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove) (LD)]

T4. In answer to the earlier question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron), the Minister confirmed that his ongoing review into parental leave and pay explicitly includes self-employed people. He will be aware of the gap whereby self-employed adopters are not eligible for the support for which birth parents and employed adopters are eligible. Is his review looking at closing that gap, so that potential future adopters are not prevented from growing their families and giving some of our most vulnerable young people the families they deserve?