5. To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting young people in the Glasgow Cathcart Constituency with the costs of starting a new job. (S5O-04545)

The new job start payment, which we introduced on 17 August 2020, will support all eligible young people who apply to Social Security Scotland for assistance, including those in Cathcart.

Job start payment is a cash payment of £250, or £400 for a young person with children. It will help about 5,000 young people across Scotland every year to meet expenses before they receive their first salary. The money can be used for any purpose and young people have told us that they are most likely to spend it on travel, clothing and food.

The job prospects of young people in my Constituency have been hit hard by the pandemic, so the announcement of extra support to help them into work could not come at a better time.

What other support is available for young people who might be experiencing unemployment?

As

Mr Dornan is aware, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture detailed many of the measures in yesterday’s debate on the programme for government, which I am aware that he took part in. Those measures include the young person’s guarantee, which is aimed at supporting all young people aged 16 to 24.

This financial year, we have committed to investing £60 million in our youth guarantee as part of the £100 million investment for employment and skills that was announced last month. The guarantee is one of the first actions from the advisory group on economic recovery’s report that will be progressed. There is also, of course, the additional £10 million that has been put in place to support and retain apprentices.