Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
LabourMP for Wolverhampton South East
“There are now over a million young people not in education, employment or training. This Government is acting and determined to not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Youth Guarantee is our commitment to ensure that ever…”
“More than 1 million young people are currently not in education, employment or training. Youth employment in the UK has not reached its pre-financial crash level in any year since, and there has been a sharp rise in recent years in the numb…”
“Earlier this year, I updated the House on progress to deliver the Jobs Guarantee. Since then, Phase 1 of the Jobs Guarantee has started in six areas of the country, with the first young people now in work. We announced the delivery partners…”
“Together with my Rt Hon. friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, I am today announcing a series of pilots to test a new approach to managing sickness absence in England.…”
“The Access to Work Scheme plays an important role in supporting disabled people and people with health conditions in, and into, work. The core ambition of the Scheme is to ensure disability is never a barrier to, or in, the workplace. The S…”
“It is a pleasure to open today’s King’s Speech debate on behalf of the Government. As His Majesty said yesterday, we are living in “an increasingly dangerous and volatile world”. This debate is about the labour market, so let us start with …”
“The number of youth apprenticeship starts has fallen by 40% over the past decade. Because we want to give more young people the chance of apprenticeships, we are fully funding youth apprenticeships for small businesses, introducing a £2,000…”
“I would like to make a statement on our new package of support to tackle the long-term problem of youth unemployment. Let me begin by wishing you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and the whole House a very happy St Patrick’s day. This year, due to Le…”
“At the Budget, the Chancellor committed more than £1.5 billion to back young people through the Youth Guarantee and changes to the Growth and Skills Levy.…”
“Headline unemployment is below its average rate under the previous Government, and inactivity is falling as more people actively seek work. Some 381,000 more people have moved into work over the past year. However, there is a long-term chal…”
“On 29 January I made a written statement on the Job Guarantee. There was a minor error in the statement. The statement said “I would also like to thank the over 60 employers who have already committed to providing jobs for participants of t…”
“I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. Core to our belief is the idea that no one, no matter their background, should be trapped by their circumstances. People should have the chance to make the best life they possibly can.…”
“Every young person deserves a fair chance to succeed. When given the right support and opportunities, they will grasp them. But, for too long, young people have not had access to the opportunities and support they deserve. Nearly a million …”
“In November, I informed the House that the Government would make a new decision in response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report into the way changes to the state pension age were communicated to women born in the 1950…”
“Sympathies to you, Mr Speaker, on your recent injury. If you require a WorkWell appointment with a health practitioner, we recently had a national roll-out, and I am sure that we can arrange that for you. We believe that work is good for pe…”
“Today, together with my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, we are announcing England-wide expansion of the WorkWell service from Autumn 2026 backed by up to £259m of investment over three years. We’ve seen gr…”
“Our welfare system, through benefits like Universal Credit, provides a crucial safety net to millions of people across this country but it cannot be right, that individuals who have been convicted of serious crimes, continue to receive subs…”
“I wish to update the House on the actions my department has taken following the conclusion of the safeguarding review, and consideration of consultation findings.…”
“Today I am announcing the expansion of the Government’s Youth Guarantee and the next phase of the Growth and Skills Levy.…”
“We inherited from the Conservative party a welfare system that forced too many people out of work and on to long-term benefits, while leaving millions of children in poverty. We have begun to address that through reforms to universal credit…”
“It is a pleasure to open today’s debate on behalf of the Government, and to respond to the shadow Chancellor. He went through his lines and, as I expected, he talked a fair bit about welfare. If only he had ever been in a position to do som…”
“I have concluded my statutory annual review of State Pension and benefit rates under the Social Security Administration Act 1992. The new rates will apply in the tax year 2026-27, with most increases coming into effect from 6 April 2026.…”
“I wish to update the House on the Government’s decision in response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigation into Women’s State Pension age communication and associated issues. On 17 December 2024, my predecess…”
“I am pleased to make a statement today on the Independent Report into Young People and Work I have commissioned, with support from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Education. This Report forms…”
“I would like to make a statement on the investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman into the way state pension ages were communicated to 1950s-born women. The background to this issue is well known to the House. It arise…”
“I am pleased to make a statement today, jointly with the Business and Trade Secretary, on Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working Review, which he has submitted to the Government.…”
“The clocks went back at the weekend, and you nearly put them forward again, Mr Speaker. I am pleased to be here answering my first set of questions as the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. I look forward to my exchanges with the sha…”
“Security and prosperity go hand in hand – we need a strong economy to support our security, and the investment driving our economic growth needs to be secure.…”
“Ethics and integrity are at the heart of the Government’s approach to public service.…”
“We will never forget the 72 lives lost following the Grenfell Tower tragedy eight years ago. The government is grateful to Sir Martin Moore-Bick and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry team for laying bare the truths in their reports.…”
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