👥 Oral Answers to Questions

• Unemployment Forecast: The Office for Budget Responsibility predicts unemployment will decrease to 4.1% next year and remain low until 2029, according to the Autumn Budget 2024’s impact assessment.

• Job Support Initiatives: The government is reforming the Department for Work and Pensions to better serve employers and fill job vacancies, with a focus on supporting jobs and growth.

• Disability Employment: Concerns were raised about disabled individuals facing unemployment due to employers not responding to requests for reasonable adjustments. The government is encouraged to strengthen these rights.

• Youth Employment and Skills: There’s a noted increase in young people not in education, employment, or training, with mental health issues rising. The government’s “Get Britain Working” plan includes a youth guarantee to address this by ensuring young people either work or learn.

• Employment Rate Ambition: The government has shifted from an “employment target” to an “ambition” of reaching an 80% employment rate, in line with Labour’s plans to focus less on administrative tasks and more on real job ambitions.

• Support for Job Seekers: The “Get Britain Working” White Paper proposes a new jobs and careers service, a youth guarantee, and local powers to join up work, health, and skills support, targeting the 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term health issues.

• Economic Inactivity: To tackle economic inactivity, the government will launch eight trailblazer programs from next spring, focusing on those with long-term health conditions, with specific funding allocated.

• Sustainable Energy Jobs: There’s a push for increased funding for schemes training economically inactive people for roles like solar panel engineers, to support government housing targets and energy goals.

• Coastal Community Employment: Specific attention to high youth unemployment in coastal communities, with promises of better job opportunities and support.

• Sanctions for Non-Working: The government will maintain sanctions for those capable of working but refusing to do so, alongside efforts to provide opportunities and skills.

• Pensions and Inflation: Pensioners will see a 4.1% increase in state pension next year due to the triple lock, designed to outpace inflation. A pensions review is underway to improve returns for private pensions and boost UK investment.

• Universal Credit: Plans include reviewing universal credit, particularly the five-week wait for first payments, to reduce benefit debt and support claimants better.

• Poverty Reduction: The government’s approach to reducing poverty centers on increasing employment in good jobs, extending the household support fund, and implementing fair repayment rates for universal credit.

• Jobcentres and Community Outreach: There’s a positive view on jobcentres launching outreach initiatives in local communities, with potential expansion in rural areas being welcomed.

• Pensions Auto-Enrolment: The government acknowledges the success of auto-enrolment in pensions but is considering adjustments to ensure continued contributions from employers even if employees opt out.

• Refugee Employment Support: The Department for Work and Pensions will provide immediate support to newly recognized refugees, including tailored employment support and cross-departmental collaboration to help them contribute to the economy.

• Parental Leave: Discussions on increasing maternity and paternity pay rates are ongoing, with a government review planned to support working families better.

• Health and Disability Benefits: There are plans to reform the health and disability benefits system, with a focus on helping people enter and stay in work, to be detailed in a forthcoming Green Paper.

• Low-Paid Work: The “Get Britain Working” initiative aims to help reduce low-paid work by supporting local areas in developing plans tailored to their needs, promoting skill development and better job opportunities.

• Winter Fuel Payment and Pensioner Poverty: The government is focusing on increasing pension credit claims to ensure pensioners eligible for support receive it, including winter fuel payments, despite means-testing some benefits.

• Carer’s Allowance: Addressing overpayments of carer’s allowance is a priority, with an independent review underway and an increase in the earnings threshold announced to prevent future overpayments.

• Technology and Jobcentres: The future of jobcentres may involve more digital transformation, such as a “Jobcentre in your pocket” app, to improve service delivery.

• Child Poverty: The government is committed to addressing child poverty through the child poverty taskforce, recognizing the challenges faced by various groups, including migrant and disabled children.

• Benefit Fraud and Errors: There’s a strong emphasis on tackling benefit fraud, with upcoming legislation aimed at addressing the issue, following significant losses since the pandemic.

The session displayed a moderate level of disagreement, centered primarily around policy effectiveness and political accountability. Key points of contention include the impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on unemployment rates, with Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst pressing for a direct answer on whether unemployment rates have risen or fallen since the Budget. This indicates underlying disagreement on the efficacy of the policies implemented. Additionally, there is notable tension around the Labour Party’s shift from an ‘employment target’ to an ‘ambition’, as highlighted by Helen Whately, suggesting political friction. The session also showed disagreement on the handling of pension credit and winter fuel payments, with accusations from both sides about the adequacy of support for pensioners. However, the overall tone remained relatively civil, with most exchanges focusing on policy critique rather than personal attacks, warranting a rating of 3 for moderate disagreement.