Speeches by Egan.

“This is a question for Emily. You run the Employers for Carers and Carer Confident schemes. What lessons have you learned about the challenges and opportunities of working with different types of employers to improve work opportunities for carers?”

“I like that line: “coalition of the willing”.”

“I want to focus on the Mayfield review. The Mayfield review charts a path to keeping Britain working, so I want to get your views on the extent to which that path is convincing.”

“That is interesting—thank you.”

“Charles, do you think that the plans will help get the certified standard in Mayfield adopted by other types of employers?”

“Luckily a lot of the points that I was going to raise have been covered, because I wanted to ask about the barriers that impact young people from taking on more apprenticeships. If I ask the panel to be mindful about the point you were saying, Kate, around the entry level, level 2, level 3 apprenticeships—we talk about…”

“I want to ask a question that came up on the last panel, which was about the co-ordination of local demand with the supply of skills. Could you think about this in your respective areas, and with regard to how further education can help with that provision and what changes you may like to see within the further educati…”

“T5. Given the events in the middle east, can the Chancellor share with us what work is being done here and alongside our NATO allies and other partners to understand the economic consequences, people’s changing needs and the impact that has on Government spending when countries face times of conflict?”

“The targeting of RAF Akrotiri by Iranian proxies is a direct act of aggression against the United Kingdom. The Iranian regime have repeatedly shown their willingness to export terror internationally across multiple fronts. What steps is the Secretary of State taking with colleagues across Government to ensure Iran pose…”

“We see reports of armed criminal gangs operating with confidence along the northern coastline of France. My constituents ask what the French authorities are actually doing to deal with the issue. Can the Minister give an update on the ongoing discussions that he is having with his French counterparts? What will change …”

“I think that is right. Whenever we get good examples, it is when people have a good relationship with the clients that they are working with. Thank you.”

“Thank you for that reassuring answer from across the panel. I think it is important to have the background and that context. Given the timelines for it, do you know when you will start to get that data about the sustained employment aspect for disabled people and when you will be in a position to not just publish it bu…”

“There has been difficulty recruiting and retaining work coaches. How will you get around that aspect on the work and health coach element of the programme?”

“The Government have announced a national expansion of the WorkWell programme. There has been some caution because you do not have the full analysis from the pilots that went out. I would like to ask about the evidence and the reasoning for the national expansion.”

“Excellent. Ruth?”

“Thank you. Ruth, is there anything you would like to add?”

“Thank you, David and Ruth. I would like to ask you both how much choice you had in how you deliver your respective programmes and how you have learned and adapted what works best. I am conscious that you both cover large areas even in the West London Alliance. I was involved with Central London Forward. These regional …”

“Thank you. With these kinds of programmes, outcomes can vary significantly between different localities. Do you feel that the programmes you are talking about strike the right balance between having that local flexibility, but also the national oversight in making sure the outcomes are where everyone wants them to be?”

“We had a very interesting visit to Durham, as other members have referenced. As part of that, we talked to a group of people who were at pre-retirement. We touched on this in the last panel, and I would like to know your thoughts—because it was overwhelming, from the table we were on—about flexible working, bringing in…”

“Staying on the theme of fraud and error, we note that in the last financial year your target for savings was £1.7 billion but the Department delivered more than that, £2 billion. For the next year will those targets be more stretching?”