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?