Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of trends in the number of young people in employment in the last 12 months.

The number of employed 16–24-year-olds has fallen by 183,000 in the last 12 months, driven by higher economic inactivity. DWP places a strong emphasis on developing policies that support young people into employment, whilst also acknowledging that their needs will vary based on their location and individual circumstances.

My department, working closely with the Department for Education, are developing the Youth Guarantee, to refocus support to all young people aged 18-21 years old not in education, employment or training. We will ensure they have access to quality opportunities for training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for, to prevent them becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age.

DWP currently offers demand led labour market support to young people aged 16-24 through a comprehensive range of interventions at both national and local levels. This includes flexible, locally driven provision, nationwide employment programmes and tailored support delivered by work coaches in Jobcentres and in local communities, in collaboration with our partners.