Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Kickstart scheme jobs have been approved nationally to date.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As of the 6th May 2021, there are over 200,000 jobs approved on the Kickstart Scheme.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system which has been developed quickly. The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Kickstart scheme jobs have been (a) made available for young people to apply to and (b) started, (i) nationally, (ii) by region and (iii) by sector.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As of the 6th May 2021, over 108,000 jobs have been made available for young people to apply for through the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Kickstart Scheme. This includes over 20,000 jobs started by young people.
There have been over 200,000 jobs approved by the scheme.
We are unable at present to provide data on the number of approved jobs by region, as at that stage in the process we do not hold information about the exact location of a job, only the head office of the employer. We do hold regional information on jobs made available for young people to apply for and for placements started, which is provided below.
The tables below show these figures split by location and sector, the data presented has been rounded according to DWP statistical rounding convention. Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system which has been developed quickly. The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme.
Location | Jobs Advertised | Total Jobs Started |
East Midlands | 7,270 | 1,120 |
East of England | 8,240 | 1,320 |
London | 22,740 | 4,500 |
North East | 4,560 | 960 |
North West | 13,560 | 2,840 |
Scotland | 7,540 | 1,770 |
South East | 12,320 | 2,350 |
South West | 7,670 | 1,440 |
Wales | 6,020 | 1,000 |
West Midlands | 10,030 | 1,850 |
Yorkshire and The Humber | 8,310 | 1,580 |
Figures may not add up to provided totals due to rounding. 1,000 non-grant funded jobs are included in Jobs Advertised but not included under Jobs Started. Total jobs started includes those which have been completed or ended early. | ||
Sector | Jobs Advertised | Total Jobs Started |
Administration | 27,950 | 5,370 |
Animal Care | 480 | 160 |
Beauty & Wellbeing | 740 | 150 |
Business & Finance | 4,040 | 750 |
Computing, Technology & Digital | 8,490 | 2,110 |
Construction & Trades | 3,600 | 700 |
Creative & Media | 8,420 | 2,180 |
Delivery & Storage | 3,320 | 670 |
Emergency & Uniform Services | 230 | 10 |
Engineering & Maintenance | 3,900 | 470 |
Environment & Land | 2,140 | 360 |
Government Services | 290 | 30 |
Healthcare | 4,360 | 570 |
Home Services | 800 | 80 |
Hospitality & Food | 7,530 | 1,030 |
Law & Legal | 260 | 90 |
Managerial | 830 | 120 |
Manufacturing | 2,650 | 600 |
Retail & Sales | 17,120 | 3,680 |
Science & Research | 450 | 80 |
Social Care | 2,880 | 270 |
Sports & Leisure | 2,350 | 410 |
Teaching & Education | 4,720 | 760 |
Transport | 400 | 40 |
Travel & Tourism | 310 | 40 |
Figures may not add up to provided totals due to rounding. 1,000 non-grant funded jobs are included in Jobs Advertised but not included under Jobs Started. Total jobs started includes those which have been completed or ended early. | ||
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what types of businesses will be able to access equity from pension funds under the new pension reforms; and what steps she plans to take to reach a decision on how much of a pension fund can be released for investment in businesses.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government are committed to ensuring both that pension funds have the opportunities to invest in UK businesses as we build back better, and that this process is made easier and simpler. We believe this will benefit both individual pension scheme members and the wider UK economy.
Private equity and venture capital, including releasing equity to new and innovative British businesses, already can and does form part of a pension scheme’s investment strategy. Trustees are currently free to make these types of investments if they believe the balance of risk and return to be in the best interest of members.
Over the past 6 months, DWP has made real efforts to respond to trustees and make this process simpler and easier: DWP has published two consultations relating to this issue. Improving outcomes for members of defined contribution pension schemes: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-outcomes-for-members-of-defined-contribution-pension-schemes and, Incorporating performance fees within the charge cap: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/incorporating-performance-fees-within-the-charge-cap
The proposals included allowing schemes to smooth the incurrence of performance fees over multiple years to allow schemes greater flexibility to innovate their investment strategy whilst maintaining the important member protection that is the charge cap. We intend to bring forward regulations which seek to make investment in a wider range of assets easier for defined contribution schemes.
Through the consultation we also gathered evidence on the specific question of steps the Government can take to better enable these types of investments. The consultation closed on April 16th and we will publish a response in June.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to undertake a consultation on how pension rules will be reformed to allow funds to be used to make equity offerings for businesses.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government are committed to ensuring both that pension funds have the opportunities to invest in UK businesses as we build back better, and that this process is made easier and simpler. We believe this will benefit both individual pension scheme members and the wider UK economy.
Private equity and venture capital, including releasing equity to new and innovative British businesses, already can and does form part of a pension scheme’s investment strategy. Trustees are currently free to make these types of investments if they believe the balance of risk and return to be in the best interest of members.
Over the past 6 months, DWP has made real efforts to respond to trustees and make this process simpler and easier: DWP has published two consultations relating to this issue. Improving outcomes for members of defined contribution pension schemes: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-outcomes-for-members-of-defined-contribution-pension-schemes and, Incorporating performance fees within the charge cap: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/incorporating-performance-fees-within-the-charge-cap
The proposals included allowing schemes to smooth the incurrence of performance fees over multiple years to allow schemes greater flexibility to innovate their investment strategy whilst maintaining the important member protection that is the charge cap. We intend to bring forward regulations which seek to make investment in a wider range of assets easier for defined contribution schemes.
Through the consultation we also gathered evidence on the specific question of steps the Government can take to better enable these types of investments. The consultation closed on April 16th and we will publish a response in June.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
What support her Department is providing to help people find new jobs during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
My Department has taken significant steps to ensure jobseekers continue to get the help they need throughout the pandemic. As well as recruiting thousands of new Work Coaches, our employment support programmes, including Job Finding Support and SWAPs offer both online and - when necessary and appropriate - face-to-face support in line with the latest guidance.
In addition, as part of the DWP Estates Expansion and Renewal Programme my Hon.Friend will already be aware that we have secured new premises for a JobCentre Plus in Stockton.