Oral Answers to Questions

Patrick Hurley Excerpts

Monday 26th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Paul Davies (Colne Valley) (Lab)]

1. What steps he is taking to support the roll-out of youth hubs.

[Patrick Hurley (Southport) (Lab)]

3. What steps he is taking to support the roll-out of youth hubs.

[Natasha Irons (Croydon East) (Lab)]

7. What steps he is taking through the roll-out of youth hubs to help support young people into education, training and employment.

--- Later in debate ---

[Pat McFadden]

I congratulate my hon. Friend’s constituent James Boyle on his work running several teams at Longwood FC. That is a great example, and a number of youth hubs are located in football clubs and other sporting organisations. I understand that Huddersfield youth hub currently serves at least some of my hon. Friend’s constituents, but if he wants to explore further options, I encourage him to contact his local jobcentre so that it can work with local partners to see what is possible.

[Patrick Hurley]

Will the Minister join me in recognising the work of the Big Onion, which provides skills training, employment support and related services in my Southport constituency? It has supported more than 1,400 young people into careers across the wider borough. Will the Minister also set out what further support the Department can give to community organisations like that, and how its success can be shared across the whole youth hub programme?

[Pat McFadden]

The Big Onion is one of a number of organisations doing excellent work in trying to help young people into work. It is part of a larger partner group that the local jobcentre works closely with. In fact, one of our youth employability coaches is based with the partner group in the town hall once a week. This is exactly why we are expanding youth hubs across the country, so that we can work with other organisations to take the help where young people need it in the community.

Oral Answers to Questions

Patrick Hurley Excerpts

Monday 7th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Alison McGovern]

I thank my hon. Friend again for her very welcome point. Housing associations are extremely important for connecting with residents, who often have multiple vulnerabilities. When thinking about the journey into work we need joined up services between the NHS, the local authority and our housing associations. They will be a part of the future partnership, and I look forward to working with her for her constituency.

[Patrick Hurley (Southport) (Lab)]

11. What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Jobcentre Plus in helping people get back into work.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)]

To be frank, the current system is focused on the problems of yesterday. In the last Parliament, economic inactivity increased and the employment rate fell. We are planning fundamental reforms to the system that will focus on the problems of today and get more people into work, details of which will be set out in our forthcoming White Paper, “Get Britain Working”.

[Patrick Hurley]

Will the Minister set out how the proposed merger between Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service will help to tackle economic inactivity and change the way that jobcentres work with their customers?