Committees

Youth employment, education and training

Inquiry

Nearly one million young people aged 16–24 are not in employment, education or training (NEET). This is a worrying statistic given the harm that being NEET can do to young people’s prospects and wellbeing. To tackle this problem, the Government has recently transferred the skills remit to DWP and announced measures such as the Youth Guarantee and apprenticeship reforms. The Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry, which seeks to complement the independent Milburn Review into Young People and Work, will explore the causes of economic inactivity and how to help young people into work, education or training, and scrutinise the Government’s plans.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 4:00pm on 19 February 2026.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Wednesday 20 May 2026
9:30am Public
Youth employment, education and training - Oral evidence 20 May 2026
9:30am
  • Alan Milburn (Chair at Young People and Work Report)
10:30am
  • Professor Dr Hubert Ertl (Director of Research and Vice President at Germany’s Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB))
  • Dr Veerle Miranda (Head of Youth Employment and Social Policies Unit at Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD))
  • Dr Emily Erickson (Research Fellow and Policy Lead at Institute of Employment Research, University of Warwick)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 11 March 2026
9:00am Private
9:30am Public
Youth employment, education and training - Oral evidence 11 March 2026
9:30am
  • Kate Nicholls (Chair at UK Hospitality)
  • Chris Russell (Senior Policy Manager at Federation of Small Businesses)
  • Kate Shoesmith (Director of Policy at British Chambers of Commerce)
  • Tim Balcon (Chief Executive at Construction Industry Trade Board)
10:30am
  • David Gaughan (Director of Employment and Skills at West Midlands Combined Authority)
  • Jan Feeney (Head of Employment & Skills at Norfolk County Council)
  • Dave McCallum (Head of CIAG Operations at Skills Development Scotland)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster

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