Failure to invest in young people 'risks economic recovery'

David Finlay, who was director of the National Audit Office’s infrastructure team for 10 years and became the National Youth Agency’s chair in May, has urged government departments to develop a joined-up approach to tackle economic recovery and youth unemployment.

In a letter to government ministers and the Confederation of British Industry, Finlay warned that young people, who are “crucial to achieving tomorrow’s economic recovery”, were being forgotten.

"Economic recovery won’t work if far greater attention isn’t given to the fact that one in five young people are not in employment at the moment,” Finlay wrote.

“The whole of the government’s plans for producing the economic recovery is that it will invest billions of pounds in new infrastructure such as roads and railways, which will attract businesses that will want to invest in this country.

“But in five years' time, if you haven’t got young people coming through in their 30s with really good work experience behind them, you won’t build up the economic recovery.”

Finlay suggested that the government should defer some of its infrastructure projects to free up funds to invest in young people.

“The government and the business sector need to think about how to accelerate the development of training opportunities and initial work opportunities for young people,” he said.

“It also needs to be a co-ordinated approach across government. Where the Cabinet Office has responsibility for young people, I hope it can urge colleagues in other parts of government to develop this coherent approach.”

Finlay sent the letter calling for more investment in young people to ministers across a number of government departments at the beginning of August.

The government has a National Infrastructure Plan which commits £300bn of spending on new infrastructure until 2020.