New work and pensions minister Peter Hain has outlined his goal for the UK employment market.

In an interview with The Financial Times, Hain said “full employment in our generation” was his goal.

He said the government’s welfare-to-work target to raise the employment rate from just under 75% to 80% remained. However, he said that he was not in favour of private sector companies being involved as previously proposed. “I want to maximise the voluntary sector and local government where it has a role to play in the cities.”

Hain added: “This is about new horizons for everybody. It’s not about frog-marching people off benefit and into any old job.” And increasing people’s skills once in work so that they have a career is also high on the agenda, he said.