Young People and Work: Milburn Interim Report
Diolch yn fawr, Gadeirydd. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. Let me start by saying that I do not like the phrase “not in education, employment or training”, or NEET; I much prefer LEET, because most young people are looking for employment, education or training. The NEET phrase makes people feel as if they are not trying hard enough, which could not be further from the truth. Young people are hard-working and passionate, and they want to contribute their skills to the workforce, but our system does not set them up for success. Many have not yet found the opportunities or pathways that allow them the space to figure out and find their niche. Everyone is good at something, but too many young people are not afforded the opportunity to figure out what that may be. The most recent data shows that 14.6% of young people aged 16 to 24 in Wales are not in education, employment or training to the year ending June 2026. That is an unacceptable figure. Nearly one sixth of our talented young people in Wales have not been given the opportunity to thrive and find their place. One thing that stood out to me from Milburn’s interim report was the impact on place of the levels of young people not in education, employment or training. In rural Wales, barriers to obtaining a driving licence or having access to a car makes that a very visible problem. Young people facing financial constraints are more likely to struggle as a result of those barriers. If we are serious about widening opportunity, tackling child poverty must be a priority. With that in mind, can the Minister confirm whether the Welsh Cynnal payment will be disregarded for benefit purposes? I have met so many fabulous young people since becoming the Member of Parliament for Caerfyrddin, and I am really proud to be their MP. Minister, what steps are the Government taking to ensure that every young person, no matter their postcode or financial background, has the same chance to succeed?