Mr. Ray Powell askedthe Secretary of State for Wales, in view of the large number of young people 93W unemployed in Wales, if he will seek to make one-day-a-week provision for college-based education a compulsory feature of work experience programmes.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that every young person engaged on work experience schemes under the youth opportunities programme is entitled to attend a form of "off-the-job" learning undertaken at a college of further education or with some other competent provider. I see no reason to alter these voluntary arrangements.
§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Wales what study he has made of the advantages of one-day-a-week provision for college-based education as a compulsory feature of work experience programmes in the context of his consideration for Wales of the implications of the report on the education of 16 to 19-year-olds.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI do not propose any detailed study at the present time in the context of the review "Education of 16-19-year-olds". The Manpower Services Commission, is however, discussing with local education authorities projects to test ways of improving both the scale and quality of off-the-job learning provision and I e will keep close touch with progress.