Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
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 help improve the support provided by Jobcentre Plus centres in County Durham.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are 10 Jobcentres within County Durham, all of which have teams who actively collaborate with a range of partners to support people into work and, help employers to fill vacancies.
The Jobcentres are working with partners such as Durham New College, Derwentside College, East Durham College, Durham County Council, Barclays, the NHS, Community Hubs, National Careers Service, and Mental Health Matters to provide a wraparound employment and skills offer for customers. This offer is designed to support customers and help them find work and, help meet the recruitment needs of local employers.
We take a sector-based approach to recruitment and our Jobcentres have been working closely with employers to run Job Fairs for various sectors including manufacturing, Civil Service, hospitality, logistics, health care, construction, retail, security, adult social care and telecoms. As an example, Durham Jobcentre recently hosted a Care focussed event with employers including Care Academy, Embracing Care, HC One, Kelly Park and the NHS.
Disability Employment Advisers (DEA’s) offer advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and those with health conditions into work. the Embracing Employment and Healthcare trial is currently being piloted within Durham City Jobcentre. Employment and Healthcare Practitioners (EHPs) are co located within the Jobcentre working with customers who apply for Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit and who have declared a health condition or disability. EHP’s work with them to understand the impact their health condition has on their daily lives, identifying their individual barriers and support them in addressing those barriers.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) attract, and (2) retain, top AI professionals in the UK.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Government is committed to ensuring there is a sustainable pipeline of skills workers. Since 2018 we have invested £290 million in AI skills and talent initiatives. This includes the funding of AI and Data Science Conversion Courses scholarships for underrepresented groups.
The AI Futures programme helps attract top early to mid-career AI talent from around the world to the UK, including through a grants scheme which supports universities and SMEs to meet relocation costs of exceptional AI researchers and engineers.
We also help UK tech companies access world-class talent through the Global Talent Visa and the Scaleup Worker Visa.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people (a) began and (b) left positions within his Department's Illegal Migration Operations Command in the most recent three-month period for which data is available.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide data of staff working within the Illegal Migrations of Operation Command or on its resourcing plans.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained. As with all government departments, we remain committed to accessing the best talent and skills into the Civil Service while adhering to headcount caps, maximising efficiency and delivering for the public whilst retaining maximum value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vacancies within the Illegal Migration Operations Command were advertised in the most recent three-month period for which data is available.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
For security reasons, the Home Office does not provide data of staff working within the Illegal Migrations of Operation Command or on its resourcing plans.
The Home Office continues to ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained. As with all government departments, we remain committed to accessing the best talent and skills into the Civil Service while adhering to headcount caps, maximising efficiency and delivering for the public whilst retaining maximum value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support businesses in understanding and navigating the changes to visa eligibility rules, particularly in sectors heavily reliant on international talent.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office regularly engages with a range of stakeholders across the labour, education and legal sector to ensure they understand any changes that the department are making to the immigration system.
The Government is encouraging all sectors to adapt and make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.
We keep all our immigration policies under constant review to ensure they best serve the UK and reflect the public’s priorities, including filling skills gaps and growing the economy.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making it easier for refugees who are carers to qualify for UK citizenship.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Home Office expects all applicants for naturalisation to meet the statutory requirements which are based on a period of residence in the UK, including being free from immigration time restrictions and being of good character.
The Government considers that those seeking to make a permanent home in the UK should be equipped to integrate successfully in society, with an appropriate level of English and an understanding of British life. All applicants are therefore required to pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English language requirement. The aim is to ensure that those who intend to settle here develop both the language skills that enable them to make a success of living permanently in the UK and have an understanding of life here and society’s expectations.
There are no plans to change the requirements for citizenship.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2024, to Question 19773, on Veterans: Cost of Living, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing cost of living support for veterans.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This Government has successfully reduced inflation by more than half, which will make the cost of living more affordable for veterans along with every other resident in the UK.
Veterans’ employment is at an all-time high, with 89% of those leaving service finding employment within six months, but we're determined to go further. The recently launched OP PROSPER backed by £2.1million in government funding will support veterans and their families into valuable, fulfilling employment in roles which fully utilise their skills and capabilities, based in sectors at the forefront of innovation and economic growth.
This government also introduced, and continued for at least one further year at the Autumn statement, 12-month National Insurance relief to eligible employers recruiting veterans in their first civilian role after service.
My officials continue to drive forward efforts to ensure that veterans and their families are fully aware of the benefits and support available to them, including in relation to easing the Cost of Living.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Lichfield (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that more people from minority faith groups are recruited and retained by the UK armed forces.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence is dedicated to recruiting and retaining the best talent, drawn from the broadest diversity of thought, skills, and background, to reflect the society we serve.
In addition to the various informal Defence staff networks that reflect faith and beliefs, the Armed Forces Chaplaincy is evolving to increase the proportion of minority faith chaplains, as well as non-religious pastoral officers to support Service personnel.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people have enrolled to study for a Essential Digital Skills qualification since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The number of learners undertaking an Essential Digital Skills qualification as of January 2024 is 11,250.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce levels of economic inactivity among women aged between 45 and 60 in (a) Newport West constituency and (b) Wales.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Local Jobcentre teams are supporting customers into work and helping those in work to progress to higher paid jobs. We are working with local and national employers to help fill vacancies quickly, recruitment days, Job Fairs, wellbeing events and work trials, all of which can help support women across Wales to return to work.
Eligible older jobseekers on Universal Credit benefit from additional time with their Work Coach and the delivery of Mid Life MOTs in Jobcentres which support people to review their health, wealth and skills, with sessions delivered in Newport Jobcentre and across Wales. DWP also offers the digital MOT which is available online to help anyone who needs help to assess their finances, skills and work.
In addition, Newport Jobcentre offers bespoke support for over 50s including Job Clubs in collaboration with C4W+, offering 4-weeks of employability skills support, events with Springboard Charity focused on the hospitality sector, providing training, qualifications and work placements, and events with 1st Impressions, a charity that supplies clothing to women attending interviews or starting work.
Further planned support in Newport includes a Digital Skills course and wellbeing hubs as part of our 50Plus offer, myth busting sessions with Admiral Insurance and coaching support from Business in the Community. Activity across Wales includes a six week back to work programme for over 50s in Llandudno, and sessions delivered by local provider, Groundworks, to support customers in Shotton, both of which were well attended by local women.
We also work with businesses and the Government's Menopause Employment Champion to drive awareness of issues surrounding the menopause and work; encouraging employers to develop policies that create a more supportive environment to help women return to, stay in and progress in work. As part of the 50plus choices offer, 50plus Champions have delivered presentations to Jobcentre teams in Newport and across Wales on the menopause and the support available.