Jobcentre Access: Rural Areas

Stuart Anderson, the Member of Parliament for South Shropshire, asked the Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of jobcentres to people living in rural areas. In her response, the Minister acknowledged the unique challenges faced by rural areas and stated that the government will publish a White Paper in the autumn outlining plans to transform the employment support system, including changes to jobcentres. She welcomed input from members across the House on this issue. Mr. Anderson followed up by highlighting the rise in youth unemployment in his rural constituency of South Shropshire and asked what the Minister will do to address this worrying trend. The Minister reiterated the importance of this issue and the focus it will receive in the upcoming White Paper, again inviting input from all members. Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, the Member of Parliament for Suffolk Coastal, intervened to note that housing associations are the second-largest investor in employment support in the UK, after the Department for Work and Pensions. She asked the Minister to commit to working with housing associations to co-design and co-invest in employment support over this Parliament. The Minister acknowledged the crucial role of housing associations in connecting with residents, often with multiple vulnerabilities, and stated that they will be a part of the future partnership, expressing her eagerness to work with Ms. Riddell-Carpenter on this issue.