Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support entry-level employment opportunities for young people in the hospitality sector.

DWP delivers Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which are fully funded by government and offer training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview to those ready to start a job, as well as those who are seeking to retrain and change career.

In the last financial year, there were 5,620 SWAP starts in hospitality, which have helped people of all ages gain the relevant skills to move into work.

DWP are focusing on the hospitality sector by delivering a hospitality SWAP pilot, launched in partnership with the trade body UKHospitality. This pilot is being rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunity, including 13 coastal towns such as Scarborough and Blackpool. As part of the pilot, participants are supported to gain accreditation for a digital Hospitality Skills Passport, which is designed to provide proof that they are qualified to perform their job effectively and safely, giving them a universal entry standard into the sector.