(Alliance News) - Britain has "no plans" for a youth mobility scheme but will continue to listen to "sensible proposals" from the EU, according to a Cabinet Office minister.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, who is responsible for leading Prime Minister Keir Starmer's efforts to "reset" the relationship with Brussels, added the UK's "red lines" remain no return to freedom of movement, the single market or customs union.
The EU has pushed for a new youth mobility scheme, allowing under-30s from EU countries to live, work and study in the UK and vice versa.
But the government has resisted such moves as it is wary of anything that could be seen as allowing the return of free movement.
The Times reported the UK government would offer European countries a reciprocal scheme that would allow young EU workers and students to live and work in the UK for two years, with the possibility of a one-year extension.
Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Sarah Olney said: "I was glad to read reports in The Times that the government intends to introduce a youth mobility scheme between the UK and the EU.
"This would be good for our economy, whilst providing young British people the opportunity to work and study abroad, and this is what the British people want.
"New polling shows that more than two-thirds of the UK population are in favour of such a scheme. However, last week the Home Secretary [Yvette Cooper] ruled this out.
"Will the minister do the right thing, remove the unnecessary barriers facing young people in the UK and commit to negotiations on an EU/UK youth mobility scheme?"
Thomas-Symonds replied: "The position of the government is unchanged. We have no plans for a youth mobility scheme.
"We will, of course, always listen to sensible proposals from the EU, but they have to be within our red lines of no return to freedom of movement, no return to the single market, and no return to the customs union."
Elsewhere at Cabinet Office questions, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden was unable to say whether helicopter travel would be more or less expensive under new arrangements.
The government scrapped a planned renewal of a GBP40 million private helicopter contract from the Tory era.
Conservative MP Joe Robertson [Isle of Wight East] said: "To great fanfare the government cancelled the previous government's contract for ministerial travel by helicopter, describing GBP40 million as grossly wasteful.
"We now learn the government signed its own contract for ministerial helicopter travel but it's a secret contract, so secret we don't know how much it's going to cost.
"Will the minister confirm: will it cost more or less than GBP40 million?"
McFadden replied: "I think on this one I better write to him."
The minister later indicated he has an "appetite" for UK retaliation in the event of a cyber attack from a hostile state.
Conservative former minister Desmond Swayne asked McFadden: "Does he have an appetite for a policy of like-for-like retaliation when a cyber attack is confirmed from a hostile state?"
McFadden replied: "I have both an appetite and full faith in our excellent intelligence and security services who protect us every day."
By Harry Taylor and Richard Wheeler
Press Association: News
source: PA
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