What is the Welsh Government doing to improve economic activity in Wales, in light of the figures from the Office for National Statistics which showed that 27.4 per cent of 16-64 year olds in Wales were economically inactive from February-April 2024, compared to the UK average of 22.3 per cent?
In relation to the data, care needs to be taken at present when assessing what is happening to the labour market in Wales due to the different data sources and their trends. The headline economic inactivity statistics are produced by the ONS from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). However, data from the LFS are particularly volatile at present and may not be wholly representative of what is actually happening in the labour market in Wales.
In relation to how we are addressing economic inactivity, our Plan for Employability and Skills sets out the steps we are taking to support those furthest from the labour market to navigate and respond to work related challenges they may face. This includes support for their physical and mental health as well as opportunities for training, upskilling, seeking alternative career pathways or starting their own business.