Youth Unemployment and Bank Bonuses Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Youth Unemployment and Bank Bonuses

Mary Macleod Excerpts
Monday 23rd January 2012

(12 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Danny Alexander Portrait Danny Alexander
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The youth contract, which I have mentioned, along with the Work programme and many other things that we are doing, will help the young people in the hon. Lady’s constituency, and I very much sympathise with the position that she has described.

Mary Macleod Portrait Mary Macleod (Brentford and Isleworth) (Con)
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Does my right hon. Friend agree that apprenticeships are an important part of the solution, by giving young people the opportunity to build their skills? We have record numbers of apprenticeships; indeed, the number of them in my constituency has doubled.

Danny Alexander Portrait Danny Alexander
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I agree with my hon. Friend: the apprenticeship programme is a vital part of tackling youth unemployment and lifting the skills in our work force. It is a real shame that the Opposition now seem to be opposing the extra investment in apprenticeships that we have made.