Jobs & Employment

Debate on the Address: Proposed subject for debate: Getting Britain working again

A Commons debate on the government's approach to employment and economic growth under the banner 'Getting Britain working again'. The debate will air broad government priorities on job creation, workforce participation, and economic strategy, likely covering tax, spending, and labour-market policy. This is an Opposition response to the government's legislative agenda and spending priorities.

Women and Equalities (including Topical Questions)

This is a scheduled oral question session for the Women and Equalities department, where MPs can pose topical questions to government ministers about women's rights, gender equality, and equalities policy. The session allows parliamentarians to scrutinise the department's work on issues spanning workplace discrimination, reproductive rights, violence against women, and equal pay, with topical questions allowing MPs to raise urgent or contemporary issues.

Women and Equalities Committee: Experiences of women in live comedy

The Women and Equalities Committee will hear oral evidence on the experiences of women in live comedy. This inquiry examines barriers, discrimination, and workplace conditions that women comedians face in the live performance sector, including issues of safety, harassment, pay equity, and opportunities for progression.

Consideration of Lords message to the Pension Schemes Bill

The Commons will consider amendments and messages sent from the House of Lords to the Pension Schemes Bill. This is a technical parliamentary stage where the two chambers reconcile their positions on pension scheme regulations, likely covering contribution rates, scheme management, or benefit protections. The outcome determines the final form of pension rules affecting millions of workers and retirees.

Work and Pensions (including Topical Questions)

This is a routine oral questions session for the Department for Work and Pensions, where MPs can question the Secretary of State and ministers on departmental matters including welfare policy, employment support, and related social security issues. Topical questions allow MPs to raise urgent, current issues affecting working people and benefit claimants.

Access to education and training for young adult carers

This Westminster Hall debate examines barriers to education and training for young people who have caring responsibilities for family members. Young adult carers often struggle to access further education, apprenticeships, and skills training due to time constraints and financial pressures from their caring duties, and this debate seeks to highlight the issue and explore solutions.

General Debate on contribution of allied health professionals

A backbench debate on the role and contribution of allied health professionals (such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and radiographers) to the NHS and wider healthcare system. The debate will examine how these professionals support patient care, health outcomes, and workforce capacity, likely touching on recruitment, training, recognition, and integration within healthcare teams.

Status of current pension schemes

Nick Thomas-Symonds will deliver a ministerial statement on the status of current pension schemes. This will likely cover the government's assessment of the health of UK pension arrangements, any policy changes, and the sustainability of the pensions system affecting millions of savers and retirees.

Scottish Affairs Committee: Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and Jobs

The Scottish Affairs Committee is conducting an inquiry into how Scotland can secure skilled jobs and economic opportunities in the defence sector. The session will hear oral evidence on defence skills development, employment prospects, and what support is needed to enable Scottish workers and businesses to benefit from defence industry growth.

Army Reserve

Steve Barclay is leading a Westminster Hall debate on the Army Reserve, Britain's part-time military force. The debate will likely examine the role, recruitment, retention, and funding of reserve personnel who support the regular armed forces.

Work and Pensions Committee: The work of Skills England

The Work and Pensions Committee will hold an oral evidence session to scrutinise the work and effectiveness of Skills England, the government body responsible for coordinating skills development and training across the country. This inquiry examines how Skills England is delivering on its mandate to improve workforce skills and support economic growth.

Women and Equalities Committee: Female entrepreneurship

The Women and Equalities Committee is conducting oral evidence sessions to examine female entrepreneurship in the UK. This inquiry will gather evidence from business leaders, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders to understand barriers women face when starting and running businesses, and to identify what support and policy changes could help more women succeed as entrepreneurs.

Foundation Programme and its role in supporting and retaining junior doctors

A Westminster Hall debate on the Foundation Programme and its effectiveness in supporting and retaining junior doctors in the NHS. The debate will examine whether current programme structures and support mechanisms are adequate to keep junior doctors in the medical profession and address workforce retention challenges.

Women and Equalities Committee: Effectiveness of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives

The Women and Equalities Committee will scrutinise the effectiveness of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives across organisations and sectors. This oral evidence session examines whether existing EDI programmes are achieving their stated goals of reducing discrimination and improving representation of underrepresented groups in workplaces and public institutions.

First Delegated Legislation Committee: The draft Train Driving Licences and Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 2026

This delegated legislation committee is reviewing draft amendments to the regulations governing train driving licences and certificates. The committee will examine proposed changes to the rules that control who can hold a licence to drive trains and what certification standards apply, with implications for railway employment and safety standards across the sector.

Women’s Health Strategy

A ministerial statement on the government's Women's Health Strategy, presented by Karin Smyth. This will outline Labour's approach to improving health outcomes and healthcare services for women, addressing gender-specific health concerns and workforce issues within the NHS.

Women and Equalities Committee: Experiences of women in live comedy

The Women and Equalities Committee will hear oral evidence from witnesses about the experiences of women working in live comedy. This inquiry examines workplace equality, representation, and potential barriers or discrimination women face in the comedy industry as performers, writers, and producers.

Work and Pensions Committee: Realising potential: Delivering the Child Poverty Strategy

The Work and Pensions Committee is taking oral evidence on the government's Child Poverty Strategy and how it will be delivered in practice. This inquiry examines the policies and measures the Labour government is implementing to reduce child poverty and improve outcomes for disadvantaged families, focusing on the tension between ambition and realistic delivery of the strategy.

Business and Trade Committee: Artificial Intelligence, business and the future of the workforce

The Business and Trade Committee is holding an oral evidence session to examine how artificial intelligence is affecting UK businesses and the future of the workforce. The inquiry will explore the opportunities and challenges AI presents for employment, skills, and economic competitiveness.

Potential merits of mandatory body armour for prison officers

This Westminster Hall debate will examine whether prison officers should be required to wear body armour while on duty. The discussion will consider the safety benefits, practical implications, and potential costs of making protective equipment mandatory across the prison service.

Public Accounts Committee: Civil service pensions

The Public Accounts Committee will hear oral evidence on civil service pensions. This inquiry examines how pension schemes for civil servants are funded, managed, and whether they represent value for money and sustainable long-term commitments for the public purse.

Resident Doctors - Industrial Action

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is making a ministerial statement to the Commons about industrial action by resident doctors. This concerns ongoing pay disputes and working conditions for junior doctors in the NHS, a key issue affecting healthcare staffing and service delivery across the country.

Women and Equalities Committee: Effectiveness of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives

The Women and Equalities Committee will conduct oral evidence hearings to examine how effective Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives are in practice. The inquiry will assess whether EDI programmes across public and private organisations are achieving their intended goals of creating fairer, more inclusive workplaces and services, or whether they are falling short in impact and implementation.

Justice Committee: Pre-appointment hearing: Chair of the Legal Services Board

The Justice Committee will conduct a pre-appointment hearing to examine the candidate for Chair of the Legal Services Board, the regulatory body that oversees legal professionals in England. This is a scrutiny opportunity for MPs to assess the appointee's suitability before the formal appointment is made.

Treasury Committee: Financial Inclusion Strategy

The Treasury Committee is holding oral evidence sessions to scrutinise the government's Financial Inclusion Strategy. This examines how the UK ensures people and communities have access to affordable financial services, banking, credit, and support — particularly those on low incomes or in vulnerable circumstances. The inquiry will explore barriers to financial participation and evaluate the strategy's effectiveness in addressing exclusion.