John Denham

Welcome to the website of John Denham

John Denham has been representing Southampton Itchen in Parliament since 1992. 

He is currently Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. 

On this website you'll find news about what John's been up to in both Southampton and Westminster. 

You can get in touch with John on constituency issues by following the link below.

 

Future jobs

Labour’s Budget for Jobs included a new £1bn Future Jobs Fund that aims to create 150,000 jobs for people at risk of long term unemployment.  The Future Jobs Fund is part of more than £3bn investment in extra skills and training for jobseekers, which has enabled the Government to be able to guarantee work or training to every 18 to 24 year old at risk of becoming long term unemployed.  The Fund, though only announced in the Budget, is open for business and already sports organisations have pledged to create 5,000 jobs for young people. 

You can find more information about the Fund at www.dwp.gsi.gov.uk/futurejobsfund .

The Labour Government has made the money available, now it is up to us to come up with the ideas as to how we can give real jobs, jobs that are needed in the community, to young people who are out of work.  I want local organisations to work with me to ensure that Southampton gets its fair share of the new fund and I want the City Council to be at the front of the queue.

In the last recession young people were left on the scrapheap.  I am determined that this should not happen this time.  We need to work together to make sure we use this opportunity to help young people get jobs but also to make sure those jobs help the community.

Labour has invested £5bn into giving real help to people looking for work.  David Cameron has criticised Labour for putting this money in but I hope his opposition will not stop our Tory City Council from working with the Government to create jobs for young people.

During the current economic downturn the Government is also looking to support graduates seeking work.  As Skills Secretary I have announced the ‘Graduate Talent Pool’, which aims to support 5,000 internships.  The Talent Pool will help match motivated graduates with employers - giving them vital experience and improving their employability to succeed in the job market.  The Talent Pool will sit alongside the thousands of other opportunities available to new graduates that will help them improve their chances to get a long-term and well-paid career.

If you’re an employer and want to benefit from the skills graduates can bring, register your interest and sign-up to the Talent Pool online (www.dius.gov.uk/graduatetalentpool).  I also announced that graduates already claiming Job Seekers Allowance for six months or more will be able to do an internship for up to 13 weeks alongside claiming benefit and looking for work. It will mean that unpaid internships will be open to graduates irrespective of whether they themselves or their families can support them.