To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any action her Department is taking to reduce the number of young people, not in education, employment or training.

The increasing number of young people here who are not in education, employment or training is of concern. This is a complex issue involving a diverse range of young people aged between 16 and 24 with complex factors that necessitates a multi-agency approach.

My Department is working very closely with the key government departments, including the Department of Education on the implementation of the 14-19 Education and Training Framework. The Framework includes a wide range of actions to ensure that every young person is on the right pathway.

As Minister I have had a focus on Inclusion and supporting those individuals with lower qualifications. Many of my department’s programmes are aimed at supporting our young people to thrive in training or employment. These include entry level programmes such as Skills for Life and Work and Step Up, with FE colleges offering flexible delivery to accommodate diverse learner needs.