Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Liz Kendall and Tony Vaughan

Wednesday 17th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Tony Vaughan (Folkestone and Hythe) (Lab)]

6. What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to support young people to develop AI skills.

[The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Liz Kendall)]

This Government are determined to ensure that young people can seize the opportunities that AI brings. That is why we are giving 1 million secondary school pupils skills in tech and AI as part of our TechFirst skills programme. It is why we are replacing the currently over-narrow computer science GCSE and exploring a new qualification in data science and AI for 16 to 18-year-olds, so that we can tear down the barriers to success and give young people the chances and choices they deserve to get the jobs of the future.

[Tony Vaughan]

Research commissioned by DSIT estimates that by 2035 approximately 10 million UK workers will be in jobs where AI will be part of their responsibilities. PwC estimates that 18% of existing UK jobs face a high probability of automation by 2035, so what steps are the Government taking to ensure that young people in my constituency are well prepared for the integration of AI into their daily working lives, so that we can minimise the chances of unemployment in the future?

Welfare Reform

Debate between Liz Kendall and Tony Vaughan

Monday 30th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Liz Kendall]

For new claimants, it is because we believe that we need to begin to focus this vital disability benefit on those with higher needs. I am deeply concerned that a doubling in the number of people on PIP over this decade, from 2 million to 4.3 million, with claims and awards rising at twice the rate of the increase in the number of disabled people in society, risks the sustainability of the system in future. We have to ensure that it is there for those who really need it, providing that vital safety net going forward. The hon. Lady talks about having a reasonable approach, and I really do believe that this is reasonable. I believe that protecting existing claimants and beginning to make changes for future claimants, backed by the changes to the right to try, stopping reassessments and investing in real employment support, is the fair and right balance for the people who need support and for taxpayers.

[Tony Vaughan (Folkestone and Hythe) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for her statement and for her engagement. My question is about the co-production proposal. By what mechanism will that be given effect, and how is co-production different from consultation? Will disability groups have any entitlements or powers beyond simply giving their views?

[Liz Kendall]

We are not setting out the precise detail of how co-production works; I think that would go against the very essence of it. We are already in discussion with disabled people and their organisations. On our Green Paper, we have already set out what we call collaboration committees, reforms to access to work, our pathways to work and investment in employment support, because we want to get this right. We look forward to those discussions to ensure that people have a proper say and are fully engaged and involved, because we want to make sure that we get this right.