Youth Employment

Lord Davies of Stamford Excerpts

Wednesday 30th July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

Youth unemployment is different in its nature from general unemployment in that there is a scarring effect for the young if they do not get into the workforce early. We therefore need to make extra effort to get youngsters into the workforce, which many of our measures are designed to do. There has been a real recasting of support for youngsters, whether through training, education or apprenticeships, and we are providing this support for them through the Work Programme, the jobcentres and work experience. We have myriad programmes, and they are actually having an effect. We are now seeing very steep falls. It is not yet good enough but it is moving aggressively in the right direction.

[Lord Davies of Stamford (Lab)]

My Lords, of course it is a priority—

[Noble Lords]

Bishop!

[Lord Freud]

Obviously we have looked at the living wage. If the figure suggested for the living wage were to be adopted, we would have to consider the impact on unemployment and the particular impact on youngsters, who would be hit worst. The NIESR estimated that adopting the living wage as opposed to the minimum wage would knock 300,000 youngsters out of work.

[Lord Davies of Stamford]

My Lords, it is obviously very important to do everything that we possibly can to help young people into work for the first time or back into work from unemployment.

[Noble Lords]

This side!

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Davies of Stamford]

The coalition has already had time; I am sorry.

But what the Minister describes as a scarring effect can affect people at any age if they spend too long outside the workforce and cannot get back into a job. I have asked the Minister questions about this before and he has avoided them. Can he now tell us whether the Government keep evidence of age discrimination being practised against jobseekers? Can he also tell us what the Government do if they come across a prima facie case of age discrimination? Have they ever prosecuted or might they prosecute if a clear case arose?

[Lord Freud]

I have written to the noble Lord on this matter. We have not prosecuted in such a case but if we found something egregious we would consider doing so.