Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Northern Ireland on getting more people into work.

This Government is committed to supporting growth across the United Kingdom, including through our long-term ambition to reach an 80% employment rate.

Through our Get Britain Working Strategy, we are reforming employment, health, and skills support to tackle economic levels, support people into good work, and create an inclusive labour market based on the unique needs of local communities, in which everybody can participate and progress in work.

In Northern Ireland, health, skills, careers, and all aspects of employment support are transferred matters. Ministers and officials continue to work closely with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive, with a view to maintaining parity on social security matters and sharing best practice in the development of employment support.