Austin will sit down to discuss employment with staff from the Dudley jobcentre to listen to what the Governments new initiatives have done for local people and where improvements can still be made.

Just before Christmas, the Office for National Statistics reported that unemployment, as measured by the numbers applying for the Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) had fallen 6,300. In no postwar recession has unemployment ever fallen so quickly, just 20 months after the rise began. It took 40 months before the first fall in the early 1980s.

Keeping the economy moving has been the Governments number one priority over the last year and without the action taken 500,000 more jobs would have been lost.  

Ian Austin MP said:

“Increasing employment opportunities in Dudley has always been my top priority, and I have worked hard to make sure that the Government has done everything it can to help people through the current downturn.”

“Every job that has been lost is a tragedy for the family concerned, but it's been nothing like what happened in previous recessions when whole industries were destroyed.”

“This time round we had a Government that was on the side of local people and took the action needed to stabilise the economy.  We have guaranteed jobs and training for young people out of work and cut VAT to put more money in people’s pockets.”

“We avoided a 1980s style recession by investing in our country and doing everything we can to keep local people in work.”

“It is important that this action was taken but it is equally important that we see what needs to be done next and what improvements can help to make the recovery quicker.”

“Sitting down with local jobcentre staff who work hard to help local people everyday is the best way to see what improvements we need to make as well as seeing the difference these policies have made to the lives of local people.” 

The Government have taken big decisions to help local people to get back into work and on with their lives including giving young people who are unemployed:

• a dedicated personal adviser from day one of their unemployment claim and more time with an adviser throughout their claim;

• extra support for 16–17-year-olds from Jobcentre Plus, working closely with local Connexions services;

• a new subsidy for employers taking on 16–17-year-old apprentices;

• a January guarantee for 16–17-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) of an offer of an Entry to Employment place, and Education Maintenance Allowance to go with it;

• a new Young Person’s Guarantee for 18–24-year-olds that, if they are still unemployed after six months, they will be offered a job, training or internship and will be required to take it up before they complete 10 months on JSA;

• the Graduate Guarantee that graduates still unemployed at six months will be offered a graduate internship or other support, as announced in the Queen’s Speech; and

• over 100,000 government-funded additional training and job opportunities, on top of the 300,000 we have already pledged for the next 18 months, to help deliver the Young Person’s Guarantee.

As well as giving everyone seeking work more personalised support including:

• More help for those who suffer lots of short spells of unemployment by fast tracking them to stronger support;

• More tailored support for the over-50s, including help to tackle age discrimination and fast tracking to more support; and

• Increasing the support for professionals from private sector recruitment agencies.