Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Seema Malhotra and Mark Hoban

Monday 20th May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hoban]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the fact that the number of people claiming JSA fell by 7,000 last month, which also saw the 11th consecutive monthly fall in the number of young people claiming jobseeker’s allowance. The measures we are taking demonstrate the effectiveness of our programmes, particularly the new enterprise allowance.

[Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op)]

Will the Minister explain why people on the Work programme are not allowed to take up the new enterprise allowance and why he does not do more to encourage Work programme participants into self-employment?

[Mr Hoban]

The hon. Lady should be aware that a large number of Work programme providers see self-employment as a route out. For example, I know from talking to Avanta, which operates the Work programme in the north-east and elsewhere, that it sees lots of opportunities for people to get into self-employment and supports them to do so.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Seema Malhotra and Mark Hoban

Tuesday 24th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op)]

5. What assessment he has made of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s most recent forecast of levels of unemployment in 2012.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr Mark Hoban)]

In line with the weaker outlook for gross domestic product growth, the OBR has revised up the projected level of unemployment over the near term, peaking at the end of this year before falling. In the autumn statement, the Government committed to important new steps to support private sector job creation and reduce unemployment, such as nearly £1 billion for the youth contract; an initial £1 billion for the regional growth fund; and a £21 billion package of credit easing to support firms and encourage job creation.

[Seema Malhotra]

I thank the Minister for his answer. The youth claimant count last year in my constituency of Feltham and Heston rose 25.2%. The long-term claimant count for over-50s rose 48%. Both statistics are more than twice the UK average. What measures have the Government taken to tackle unemployment in Feltham and Heston, and when does he expect the number of unemployed to fall?

[Mr Hoban]

The hon. Lady makes an important point, but let me be clear: as she will know, youth unemployment in her constituency peaked in December 2009—it is actually lower today than it was then. No one should be complacent about youth unemployment, but she should recognise, as the right hon. Member for South Shields (David Miliband) did, that youth unemployment is not a problem that this Government created, and that it is a long-term challenge and grew even when the economy was booming. We are taking steps—such as the youth contract and boosting the number of apprenticeship places—that will benefit every constituency in the country, including hers.