Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 9th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I am sure that all Members from all parts of the House will agree that it is important that we give young people more opportunities to get into work. That is why we have massively expanded the number of apprenticeships that are available to young people, on a scale that dwarfs anything the previous Government had planned, and why we have made available £1 billion for the Youth Contract. I urge the hon. Lady, if she has not done so—[Interruption.] She says that it is not working. It offers funding for 250,000 new work experience places, which is a great way of getting young people into work. If she worked with us, she could explain to employers in her constituency that wage subsidies are available under the Youth Contract so that if a local employer takes on a young person, they get paid for doing so by the Government.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Members need to be much briefer if we are to get through the questions.

[Laura Sandys (South Thanet) (Con)]

T2. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on the development of single pot funds and on what that will mean for east Kent in respect of the access to devolved money?

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I have been saving up: I call Mr Barry Sheerman.

[Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op)]

I am sure that the Deputy Prime Minister will share my concern about young people not voting. If so, why, as a member of the coalition Government, is he standing by as citizenship training disappears from our schools up and down the country?

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I am sorry to disappoint colleagues but we really must now move on.