Responding to the Labour Party’s jobs guarantee announcement at Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Tina McKenzie, said:
“This is a hugely important announcement – offering thousands of young people a crucial chance in life.
“Reprioritising spending from employment programmes which aren’t working to this type of scheme is exactly the way to get much-needed bang for taxpayer cash. This was a key plank of FSB’s submissions on spending plans for the Department of Work and Pensions earlier this year.
“It is a welcome commitment that – done right – will help small businesses do what they do best, provide jobs in our local communities, and help those who need it most get into work.
“Key to getting the details right is making sure there is a backstop offer to those who are now over-25, particularly those with health challenges; that young people out of work for health reasons are not excluded through misguided double funding rules; and that small businesses are enabled to play a full role in the delivery of the scheme.
“We look forward to working with the Treasury to get the important details of this announcement right, and we hope it heralds a pro-jobs, pro-self-employment, pro-business, pro-growth Budget in two months’ time.”