Employment: Young People

Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 2 September 2013.

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Photo of Sarah Champion Sarah Champion Labour, Rotherham

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

(1) what support his Department provides to (a) young people aged 16 to 24 with cancer and (b) young people aged 16 to 24 with serious and complex long-term health conditions to assist access to and maintenance of employment and training opportunities;

(2) what his future plans are for support for (a) young people aged 16 to 24 with cancer and (b) young people aged 16 to 24 with serious and complex long-term health conditions in employment and training.

Photo of Esther McVey Esther McVey The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

This Department does not provide condition-based labour market regimes for specific illnesses. The Department's programmes, including its specialist disability employment programmes, aim to identify and meet the needs of the individual, including young people aged 16 to 24 with cancer.

This Government recognises the important role work experience can play as a route into employment. Access to Work already supports Youth Contract work experience and I announced on 16 July that £2 million from the Access to Work budget will be set aside to support disabled people to access a range of opportunities that help them get ready for employment.

These will include traineeships, sector-based work academies and supported internships, and will complement existing initiatives such as supported apprenticeships and individually arranged work experience. Specialist disability employment training is also available to 16 to 24-year-old disabled people through Work Choice and residential training provision.

Going forward, the Department is developing an employment strategy for disabled people and those with health conditions and within this is looking specifically at employment and transitions for young disabled people. The strategy is scheduled for publication later in the year.

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