Oral Answers to Questions

Shaun Bailey Excerpts

Monday 29th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Marco Longhi (Dudley North) (Con)]

What steps her Department is taking to tailor employment support to local labour market conditions.

[Shaun Bailey (West Bromwich West) (Con)]

What steps her Department is taking to ensure employment support is tailored to local labour market conditions.

[Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con)]

What steps her Department is taking to promote employment opportunities in rural constituencies as the economy reopens and the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mims Davies]

Our network of jobcentres is local and regional by design, and I mentioned earlier the place-based approach. We are ensuring that work coaches are ready to provide individualised support for claimants. The levelling-up agenda is a priority for this Government, and we have been building this into our discussions and plans when meeting Mayors, such as Andy Street, to get Britain back into work.

[Shaun Bailey]

For my communities in Wednesbury, Oldbury and Tipton, jobs are going to be at the centre of this recovery. Can I ask my hon. Friend to elaborate a bit more on the work that she has been undertaking across Government and locally with local partners, and will she agree to meet me to discuss a Black Country jobs strategy as we move out of this pandemic?

[Mims Davies]

Of course, I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend and continue to engage with him on developing these local, place-based recovery plans. As I have said, we have been working closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority, building, importantly, on our learning from the employment and skills framework, which underpins the current joint approach to supporting people locally back into work in the Black Country.