Government appoints Marc Bolland to drive Youth Guarantee effort

The government has appointed Marc Bolland, the former chief executive of Marks & Spencer, to a senior advisory role aimed at addressing the growing crisis of youth unemployment. Bolland will serve as the Lead Non-Executive Director at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), tasked with convening business leaders to help deliver the government's Youth Guarantee, which aims to ensure every young person aged 18 to 21 has access to employment, training, or education.

The appointment follows the interim findings of a government-commissioned review by former minister Alan Milburn, which warned of a "lost generation" without urgent intervention. The review found that approximately one million young people aged 16 to 24 are currently not in education, employment, or training (NEET), the highest level in over a decade. It projected that, without action, this number could rise to 1.25 million within five years, representing one in six young people.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Bolland's appointment sends a clear signal that the government is serious about tackling this challenge. He cited Bolland's track record in business and through his charity, Movement to Work, as...