Helen Hayes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2015-11-25.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the cumulative effect of the Government’s spending policies on the economic prospects of young people.

Damian Hinds

The economic prospects of young people are improving. The number of 18 to 24 year olds not in education, employment, or training is at its lowest rate since Q1 2004. And the youth unemployment is at its lowest rate since Mar-May 2008.

We have supported youth employment by abolishing employer National Insurance Contributions for those aged under 21, introducing the apprentice levy to provide funding for 3 million apprenticeships, and will introduce the Youth Obligation, which will help develop the skills that young people need to enter sustainable employment. The government is also building 200,000 starter homes, sold at a discount to first time buyers, which will help young people to get on the housing ladder.