Express & Star

Prime Minister urged to act over youth unemployment

An MP has asked the Prime Minister to support young people in Wolverhampton, as it emerged the city has the worst youth unemployment rate in the country.

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Jane Stevenson MP

Jane Stevenson, MP for Wolverhampton North East, questioned Boris Johnson before The Budget and lobbied for better training and skills provision for Wolverhampton's young people.

Ms Stevenson said: “The Prime Minister will know that I have lobbied for funding for better training and skills provision for young people in Wolverhampton.

"The youth unemployment rate was unacceptably high pre-pandemic; now, sadly, it is the highest rate nationally.

“Will the Prime Minister urgently look at how the Government can level up opportunity so that young people in Wolverhampton can get the skills and the confidence that they need to find work?”

In response to Jane’s question, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “She is absolutely [right] about Wolverhampton; that is why we are working flat out to ensure that young people in Wolverhampton benefit from the Kickstart scheme, and we are working with Wolverhampton Council to ensure that young people get bespoke support for their return to work.”

Moments later, the Chancellor unveiled his Budget in which Wolverhampton was allocated £20 million from the Levelling Up Fund for the City Learning Quarter project.

This would see Wolverhampton College relocate from its Paget Road campus to a new purpose-built facility in the city centre.