Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged 16 - 24 years were not in education, employment or training in Newport West and Islwyn constituency in each of the last six years.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
With over one million young people not in education, employment and training across the UK, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy.
This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, including through expanded network of Youth Hubs, earlier intensive support in Jobs Centres through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, additional work experience and training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers, and a fully funded six month job for long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds.
We also recognise the crisis of participation that Alan Milburn has so clearly laid out in his interim report. We will use this interim report to continue to build our reforms and look forward to final recommendations in the Autumn.
The Welsh Government is responsible for publishing data on NEET levels/rates in Wales and they can be found here - Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET): 2025 | GOV.WALES. The proportion of young people aged 16 to 24 in Wales who were NEET was 17.0% in the year ending December 2025.
The department continues to work closely with the Devolved Governments in the ongoing development and delivery of the Youth Guarantee across Great Britain.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on reducing the number of young people not in employment, education or training in a) Newport West and Islwyn constituency and b) South Wales.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, including through expanded network of Youth Hubs, earlier intensive support in Jobs Centres through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, additional work experience and training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers, and a fully funded six month job for long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is working closely with the Welsh Government to support young people into employment, education and training across Wales, including in Newport West and Islwyn and the wider South Wales region.
DWP and Welsh Government policy officials meet on a regular basis to discuss young people policy, focusing on action to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). In addition, senior policy officials from both organisations met in person on 31 March 2026 in Cardiff to focus specifically on youth outcomes and reducing the NEET rate. Lots of work has also been undertaken recently to build meaningful relationships to cover all areas of Wales, including working across both governments Youth Agendas.
The DWP Wales teams work closely with the Welsh Government and partners, with ongoing collaboration to coordinate activity and share best practice at a local level, including for Newport West and Islwyn and the wider South Wales region. DWP and Welsh Government are also working closely together on their respective future Employability Provision.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the (a) the interim findings of the Milburn Review and (b) the barriers facing young people in (i) entering into and (ii) remaining in employment.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The department continues to work closely with the Devolved Governments in the ongoing development and delivery of the Youth Guarantee across Great Britain. I welcome the insights shared by colleagues in the Welsh Government on the barriers facing young people entering and remaining in employment, and on the close working in the delivery of all aspects of the Youth Guarantee, including the Jobs Guarantee and Youth Jobs Grant.
DWP is responsible for delivering all aspects of the Youth Guarantee in Wales but engages with the Welsh Government frequently on this issue to ensure alignment of DWP services with employability, skills, careers and health services delivered by the Welsh Government.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in Access to Work awards at renewal on blind and partially sighted customers.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) informal caregiving responsibilities and (b) companion animal care on labour market participation.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to undertake research into the potential impact of companion animal ownership on a) labour market participation, b) productivity and c) flexible working.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has undertaken any joint work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to assess the a) societal and b) economic impact of companion animal ownership.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to include variables relating to companion animal ownership in a) future labour market and b) household surveys.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Access to Work staff receive specialist advice on visual impairment when assessing applications and renewals for blind and partially sighted customers.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Access to Work staff are trained to assess applications from all disability groups and individual impairments, taking account of each customer’s needs and circumstances. Staff are able to access specific support relating to individual impairments where necessary.
Where specialist advice is required to inform the outcome, Access to Work staff may arrange a workplace assessment through one of its contracted providers to help identify appropriate adjustments and support to address workplace barriers.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) companion animal care functions and (b) informal caregiving on labour market participation.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department for Work and Pensions has made no assessment of pet‑related factors on labour market participation, productivity or flexibility.
The Government does not collect or hold information on the impact that pet ownership has on the labour market.
With regard to comparative assessments between companion animal care functions and informal caregiving, the Department has made no such assessment.
However, the Department has published analysis and research on informal care and employment. This can be found in the Informal Carers and Employment: Summary Report of a Systematic Review, available at: Informal carers and employment: summary report of a systematic review - GOV.UK