Oral Answers to Questions

Nick Smith Excerpts

Monday 24th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mel Stride (Central Devon) (Con)]

2. What steps he is taking to reduce youth unemployment.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

5. What his approach is to tackling youth unemployment.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

13. What steps he is taking to reduce youth unemployment.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Duncan Smith]

My hon. Friend is right that youth unemployment rose from about 2004, regardless of a growing economy. One problem was that when the previous Government came to power, there was a guaranteed training place for all 16 to 18-year-olds, which they scrapped. That was one of the worst, most short-sighted decisions that any Government have ever made.

[Nick Smith]

Youth unemployment in Blaenau Gwent grew by a massive 12.8% last year. The Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion has highlighted the benefits of the future jobs fund, which helped 500 young people in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State look at bringing back the future jobs fund, given the current crisis of youth unemployment?

[Mr Duncan Smith]

As the hon. Gentleman should know, we made a commitment to complete the placements that had been committed to until March. That meant that there were nearly 64,000 additional places under the future jobs fund, bringing the total to 105,000 places. We believe that the future jobs fund was an expensive way to try to get people into employment. Almost half of those who went in have ended up back on benefits.