Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to provide alternative job opportunities to all of the 12,000 work coaches that are being re-interviewed.

DWP recognises the important contribution colleagues on fixed-term contracts have made over the pandemic period.

We expect to be able to offer permanency to the majority of our fixed-term Executive Officer colleagues. The current exercise will also include, where possible, the ability to offer colleagues other Executive Officer roles, not just Work Coaches, within the Department. Detailed planning work is currently underway to determine numbers and roles.

Where fixed-term EO colleagues cannot be offered permanency with DWP, we will continue to provide support in applying for roles in the Civil Service and externally throughout the remainder of colleagues' fixed term contract.