Question
This is a hugely uncertain time for workers at Poundland in Yate, and I am sure that I am not alone among MPs in finding the DWP one of the hardest Departments to get answers out of. I am concerned about the practical support that the local jobcentre will be able to offer Poundland workers who lose their jobs. Can the Minister assure me that jobcentres will support those people?
Answer
The Department for Work and Pensions stands ready to support anyone affected by this announcement with our rapid response service offer. The service is designed to give support and advice to employers and their employees when they are faced with redundancy. The Minister for Employment, my hon. Friend the Member for Stretford and Urmston (Andrew Western), will be having a meeting with all Members, including me, later this afternoon, and the hon. Lady may wish to come and put further questions to me or to my hon. Friend from the DWP.
Verdict: AMBER (72/100)
The question asked what support would be available for workers losing their jobs, and the reply answers it directly. It commits the Department for Work and Pensions to supporting everyone affected through its named rapid response service, which offers advice to employees facing redundancy. The reply does not say what role jobcentres would play or give further detail on the support, so a reader might still want more specifics.
Verdict: AMBER (70/100)
The question asked whether the Department for Work and Pensions would support people affected by the Poundland announcement. The reply gives a clear, direct assurance that the department stands ready to help, and names its rapid response service, which offers support and advice to employees facing redundancy. It does not explicitly mention local jobcentres or Yate, so the local delivery of that support is implied rather than stated, and the asker may want that confirmed.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government assure the MP that jobcentres, including the local Yate jobcentre, will support Poundland workers in Yate who lose their jobs, including through the practical support they can offer. | Addressed | Direct | The reply gives the assurance asked for, that the DWP 'stands ready to support anyone affected' by the Poundland announcement through a named mechanism, the rapid response service, which is described as giving support and advice to employees facing redundancy, which covers the practical support element. It does not explicitly mention jobcentres or Yate, so the answer is somewhat implicit, but DWP's rapid response service is delivered through Jobcentre Plus. |
| Will the Minister assure the House that jobcentres will provide practical support to Poundland workers in Yate who lose their jobs. | Addressed | Direct | The reply commits the DWP to supporting anyone affected by the announcement through its named rapid response service, which is described as giving support and advice to employees facing redundancy, so it answers the question's core ask of practical support for workers losing their jobs. It does not explicitly mention jobcentres or use the word 'assure', which keeps this from being a fuller match. |