Office for National Statistics Labour Market Data

Lord Jackson of Peterborough Excerpts

Thursday 23rd April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I absolutely agree with my noble friend. Strong Labour councils and strong Labour mayors working with the Labour Government have delivered economic prosperity—and, I add, not only in Liverpool and Manchester but just down the road from me, in and around King’s Cross and the Knowledge Quarter that is being created there. The links between the Labour-run Camden Council, the Mayor of London and the Labour Government show that we are developing and are at the cutting edge, being the place to come, across the whole world, to develop jobs and skills in industry, the life sciences and other areas.

[Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Con)]

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that many young people get their start in the workplace in leisure and hospitality. He will also know that UKHospitality estimates that, because of the Government’s fiscal changes, from April this year there will be an extra burden of £1.9 billion on those businesses and that 70% of them are going to curtail their recruitment, particularly of young people. Is it not the case that the Government’s changes are having a negative effect on youth employment? Is it not time that they review those fiscal changes, if they really are serious about tackling welfare dependency and worklessness?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

We have taken action on business rates for businesses in that sector. Positively, just last year we introduced foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors. In the retail and hospitality sector, we introduced a sector-based work academy programme pilot, which was launched in partnership with UKHospitality and businesses in a number of areas, including coastal towns, which are suffering the most.