§ 40. Mr. Prenticeasked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has to improve the training schemes for new entrants to the Youth Employment Service.
§ Mr. P. ThomasI understand that discussions will take place shortly on this question between the Central Youth Employment Executive and the local authority associations.
§ Mr. PrenticeWill the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the recent Report of the National Youth Employment Council emphasised the need for much better training facilities for members of the Youth Employment Service?
§ Mr. Thomasindicated assent.
§ Mr. PrenticeIn particular, can he say how many places the Ministry is now taking for the excellent one-year course organised by the Kent County Council?
§ Mr. ThomasThe Ministry gives at the moment five scholarships to students at that course.
§ 41. Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Labour how many youth employment offices still remain below the standard considered to be proper by the National Youth Employment Council; and when these sub-standard offices will be modernised.
§ Mr. P. ThomasNo definite standards have been, or could be laid down, and the process of inspection and modernisation is a continuous one. I cannot therefore give a precise answer to the Question, but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that progress is being made, though not so rapidly as I should wish.
§ Mr. BoydenIn view of the very considerable unemployment amongst juveniles, especially boys, and the very great pressure that is sometimes brought to bear on them to take any sort of job, can he not bring very strong pressure to bear to see that at least the bureaux are brought up to standard in order to attract the maximum use from parents, employers and juveniles?
§ Mr. ThomasI can assure the hon. Gentleman that this matter is being considered all the time.
§ Mr. BoydenThe Minister's own people have reported that a proper standard should be devised for the bureaux. The hon. Gentleman knows what the standard is. Can he not indicate those bureaux which fall below standard?
§ 42. Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken, since the issued of the National Youth Employment Council's Report, to increase the number of his inspectors so that formal inspections of youth employment bureaux can be maintained at the previous 6–7 year intervals.
§ Mr. P. ThomasOne additional appointment has been made to the Inspectorate of the Central Youth Employment Executive since the end of the period covered by the National Youth Employment Council's Report. Although my right hon. Friend and I are not in favour of a rigid timetable, we are anxious that the average interval between formal inspections of Youth Employment Offices shall not increase, and we are keeping the inspection programme under review.
§ Mr. BoydenIn view of the Minister of Education's considerable loss of power over local education authorities through the institution of the general grant, does not the hon. Gentleman think that recourse to more inspection would be a very good way of getting the more reactionary authorities to bring their service up to date? Will he not, therefore, do much more about this question of producing inspectors and sending them round, especially to the more reactionary authorities, much more frequently?
§ Mr. ThomasAs I said to the House, we are anxious that there should not be a lengthening of the interval between inspections. We are keeping the inspection programme under review.