Written questions by Garnier.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the (a) response and (b) participation rates of Labour Market Force surveys.

The DWP monitors a wide range of internal and external data – from management information, a range of surveys and administrative data sources - to inform its policymaking. Actions taken to improve the quality of the ONS LFS data can be found here - Labour Force Survey quality update - Office for National Statistics And information on the improvements to the sample size and response rate can be found here - Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports - Office for National Statistics

What discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on the potential barriers to (a) monitoring and (b) collecting data on the number of 18-24 year olds who are not in education, employment or training.

Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publications include:DfE NEET 16 to 24 year olds in England, which include NEET estimates for 18-24 year olds for England.ONS Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics, which includes NEET 18-24 year old estimates for the UK. DWP uses NEET Official Statistics estimated using the LFS alongside other data sources - such as administrative data from the benefit system like the youth claimant count and administrative data from the PAYE system of employees on payroll – to form a view of what is happening with young people in the labour market. The ONS have faced challenges collecting data via the LFS. These challenges means that LFS-based labour market statistics are currently badged as Official Statistics in Development. As a result of the smaller survey participation rates, additional caution should be taken when interpreting results from the LFS since late 2023. This is transparently explained in Official Statistics publications from DfE and the ONS. The ONS introduced an LFS recovery and sustainability in 2023/2024 and a wider Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan in 2025 to improve responses across the survey resulting in significant improvements to numbers interviewed since 2023. The latest update on actions taken by the ONS to recover the LFS sample and the latest response rates/sample sizes can be found in the following publications - Labour Force Survey quality update - Office for National Statistics and Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports - Office for National Statistics. These show that sample sizes have started to recover as a result of actions taken by the ONS. At official level DWP regularly engages with ONS and DfE colleagues to help understand their data collection and statistics production; and to help improve the quality of the data and ensure it is useful for DWP’s business needs. The ONS are transforming how they collect and produce LFS data to improve the quality of these statistics. One key aim of the TLFS is to develop it as an online-first multi-mode survey, to ensure it is as easy as possible for respondents to engage. Further information on the TLFS can be found here: Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics. The publication of TLFS headline labour market statistics is currently scheduled for November 2026, although this may extend into 2027 if assessment of TLFS data quality requires more data to be collected and assessed before transition to using TLFS data as the basis from Labour Market Statistics. DfE and ONS plan to continue using LFS/TLFS data to estimate the number of young people categorised as NEET.

Whether his Department plans to continue to use the Labour Market Force survey as the basis for estimating the number of people categorised as NEET.

Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publications include:DfE NEET 16 to 24 year olds in England, which include NEET estimates for 18-24 year olds for England.ONS Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics, which includes NEET 18-24 year old estimates for the UK. DWP uses NEET Official Statistics estimated using the LFS alongside other data sources - such as administrative data from the benefit system like the youth claimant count and administrative data from the PAYE system of employees on payroll – to form a view of what is happening with young people in the labour market. The ONS have faced challenges collecting data via the LFS. These challenges means that LFS-based labour market statistics are currently badged as Official Statistics in Development. As a result of the smaller survey participation rates, additional caution should be taken when interpreting results from the LFS since late 2023. This is transparently explained in Official Statistics publications from DfE and the ONS. The ONS introduced an LFS recovery and sustainability in 2023/2024 and a wider Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan in 2025 to improve responses across the survey resulting in significant improvements to numbers interviewed since 2023. The latest update on actions taken by the ONS to recover the LFS sample and the latest response rates/sample sizes can be found in the following publications - Labour Force Survey quality update - Office for National Statistics and Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports - Office for National Statistics. These show that sample sizes have started to recover as a result of actions taken by the ONS. At official level DWP regularly engages with ONS and DfE colleagues to help understand their data collection and statistics production; and to help improve the quality of the data and ensure it is useful for DWP’s business needs. The ONS are transforming how they collect and produce LFS data to improve the quality of these statistics. One key aim of the TLFS is to develop it as an online-first multi-mode survey, to ensure it is as easy as possible for respondents to engage. Further information on the TLFS can be found here: Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics. The publication of TLFS headline labour market statistics is currently scheduled for November 2026, although this may extend into 2027 if assessment of TLFS data quality requires more data to be collected and assessed before transition to using TLFS data as the basis from Labour Market Statistics. DfE and ONS plan to continue using LFS/TLFS data to estimate the number of young people categorised as NEET.

What assessment he has made of the challenges faced by his Department in implementing the youth guarantee trial across the West Midland Combined Authority area.

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education continue to work closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on the design and delivery of their Youth Guarantee Trailblazer. WMCA has actively engaged its seven Local Authorities as part of their Trailblazer design and have worked with central government to finalise their delivery plan and commence implementation. The Trailblazer is testing place-based solutions to tackle high youth unemployment, economic inactivity, and declining apprenticeship opportunities. Examples of programmes being delivered include work experience placements, pre-apprenticeship training, and NEET prevention. Delivery is progressing in line with the submitted plans, and WMCA remains a key partner in shaping the Youth Guarantee. Insights from the Trailblazer will inform future national policy and delivery.

What discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on the potential impact of trends in participation rates in the Labour Market Force on the accuracy of its estimates of the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.

Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publications include:DfE NEET 16 to 24 year olds in England, which include NEET estimates for 18-24 year olds for England.ONS Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics, which includes NEET 18-24 year old estimates for the UK. DWP uses NEET Official Statistics estimated using the LFS alongside other data sources - such as administrative data from the benefit system like the youth claimant count and administrative data from the PAYE system of employees on payroll – to form a view of what is happening with young people in the labour market. The ONS have faced challenges collecting data via the LFS. These challenges means that LFS-based labour market statistics are currently badged as Official Statistics in Development. As a result of the smaller survey participation rates, additional caution should be taken when interpreting results from the LFS since late 2023. This is transparently explained in Official Statistics publications from DfE and the ONS. The ONS introduced an LFS recovery and sustainability in 2023/2024 and a wider Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan in 2025 to improve responses across the survey resulting in significant improvements to numbers interviewed since 2023. The latest update on actions taken by the ONS to recover the LFS sample and the latest response rates/sample sizes can be found in the following publications - Labour Force Survey quality update - Office for National Statistics and Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports - Office for National Statistics. These show that sample sizes have started to recover as a result of actions taken by the ONS. At official level DWP regularly engages with ONS and DfE colleagues to help understand their data collection and statistics production; and to help improve the quality of the data and ensure it is useful for DWP’s business needs. The ONS are transforming how they collect and produce LFS data to improve the quality of these statistics. One key aim of the TLFS is to develop it as an online-first multi-mode survey, to ensure it is as easy as possible for respondents to engage. Further information on the TLFS can be found here: Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics. The publication of TLFS headline labour market statistics is currently scheduled for November 2026, although this may extend into 2027 if assessment of TLFS data quality requires more data to be collected and assessed before transition to using TLFS data as the basis from Labour Market Statistics. DfE and ONS plan to continue using LFS/TLFS data to estimate the number of young people categorised as NEET.

What information his Department holds on the number of young people who had dropped out of further education were trying to find work or training on 20 October 2025.

The department does not hold data on the number of people who have dropped out of further education and are searching for work or training.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending pensions automatic enrolment to jobholders under the age of 22 on those people.

We are committed to ensuring people achieve financial security in later life. That is why we prioritised the Pensions Investment Review and reforms in the Pension Schemes Bill – so that we can be confident savers automatically enrolled into workplace pension schemes can rightly enjoy the best possible outcomes. Our assessment of the pensions system is that the job is only half finished. In August we published a detailed report with our analysis, including on Automatic Enrolment and those groups not benefitting from pensions or undersaving. Furthermore, we have revived the Pensions Commission to address these very matters of adequacy, fairness and sustainability, especially for lower earners.

Whether she plans to implement the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023.

We are committed to ensuring people achieve financial security in later life. That is why we prioritised the Pensions Investment Review and reforms in the Pension Schemes Bill – so that we can be confident savers automatically enrolled into workplace pension schemes can rightly enjoy the best possible outcomes. Our assessment of the pensions system is that the job is only half finished. In August we published a detailed report with our analysis, including on Automatic Enrolment and those groups not benefitting from pensions or undersaving. Furthermore, we have revived the Pensions Commission to address these very matters of adequacy, fairness and sustainability, especially for lower earners.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023.

We are committed to ensuring people achieve financial security in later life. That is why we prioritised the Pensions Investment Review and reforms in the Pension Schemes Bill – so that we can be confident savers automatically enrolled into workplace pension schemes can rightly enjoy the best possible outcomes. Our assessment of the pensions system is that the job is only half finished. In August we published a detailed report with our analysis, including on Automatic Enrolment and those groups not benefitting from pensions or undersaving. Furthermore, we have revived the Pensions Commission to address these very matters of adequacy, fairness and sustainability, especially for lower earners.

With reference to the guidance entitled Pensions dashboards: guidance on connection: the staged timetable, published 25 March 2024, if she will set out a revised timeline for making the connection of occupational pension schemes to the Pensions Dashboard Scheme available to the public.

The Government is committed to the existing timetable in guidance for the connection of occupational pension schemes and personal and stakeholder providers to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, as well as the overall connection deadline of 31 October 2026.