Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on the level of (a) employment and (b) training support provided to job seekers.

The Get Britain Working White Paper, published in November 2024, outlined plans to deliver fundamental reform of our health, employment and skills system to help support people across all areas of England to get into work. Government’s English Devolution White Paper sets the direction of travel to continue to empower local areas to deliver our Plan for Change. It will give new and deeper levers to local areas, including some skills and employment support.

Ministers and officials meet regularly with local areas to engage with them on issues each local area is facing. These meetings provide opportunities to share intelligence on employment, employment support and skills.

On 2^nd December 2025, the Minister for Employment met with councillors who sit on the Local Government Association's Inclusive Growth Committee as part of a standing series of meetings with Local Authorities. The Minister met with the Mayors Council on the 4th of December in Liverpool and also meets quarterly with Mayors to discuss local employment and skills challenges. DWP officials also engage regularly with both Mayoral Strategic Authorities and other local government.