L

Lord Pitt-Watson (Lab)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 14 September 2026

Debate

Hospitality Industry: VAT

Contribution

I will try to answer more broadly about employment. The UK employment rate is in the top half of OECD economies. It is above the G7 average. Unemployment is in the bottom half of the OECD. Participation among 16 to 64 year-olds is higher than the average participation rate in every year but one of the last 50 years. The Government are increasing funding for employment support to more than £4 billion a year, including £2.5 billion investment in the youth guarantee and the growth and skills levy in the next three years, supporting 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn in the hospitality industry and all other industries. As I say, we are faced with many challenges ahead of us, but I believe that what the Government are doing in this area is correct.

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