Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen employment opportunities in sectors experiencing the sharpest decline in job opportunities.

Following a peak during the pandemic, vacancies are returning to their long-term average. There are currently 728k vacancies, slightly above the long-term series average of 696k.

We recognise the need to provide working-age adults with the support they need to pursue opportunities in the workforce, which is essential for economic growth.

We are already delivering the biggest overhaul of jobcentres in a generation, backed by £240 million investment to boost employment.

By bringing apprenticeships, adult further education, skills training, careers guidance, and Skills England under DWP’s remit, we’re creating strong pathways to support the millions of people across the country.

This will mean a greater focus on adult skills and career outcomes, getting people into skilled work in sectors that need labour – like construction.

Part of our approach is the use of DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) that help employers with immediate and future employment needs by upskilling benefit claimants to fill local job vacancies.