Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce the level of unemployment in the Slough constituency as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Slough Jobcentre plus has continued to support the local community during the Covid-19 outbreak. This includes working with partner and provider organisations such as the National Careers Service to host virtual job fairs, promote traineeships, support the development of skills, and actively promote vacancies. There is an increased social media presence to support claimants digitally as well as the exploration of utilising existing funding streams to support customers, such as the Flexible Support Fund.

DWP have developed and launched two new websites, Job Help and Employer Help, that directly link to Find a Job. These sites promote a range of guidance and advice supporting decisions on identifying transferrable skills, promoting opportunities of seeking alternative roles or working in different sectors of the economy. Find a Job is a central place for employers to post their vacancies and for job seekers to look for work.