Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on youth employment of the abolition of traineeships, announced on 12 December 2022.

Traineeships are not being abolished. The Department for Education has taken the decision that Traineeship provision will be integrated into 16-19 study programme and adult education provision from 1 August 2023. All the elements of the Traineeship programme - English and Maths, work experience, employability and occupational skills, and qualifications - will continue to be funded for 16–19-year-olds as part of the national 16-19 study programme, and for adults through the adult education budget.

The DWP Youth Offer provides individually tailored Work Coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search group. This includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional employment barriers, and Youth Hubs across Great Britain, which provide young people access to enter a variety of work-related support including Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, work experience, Mentoring Circles, apprenticeships, employer engagement, careers advice and traineeships.

DWP will continue to work with national and local partners to ensure the right support is available to help young people to enter and progress in employment.