HC Deb 17 April 1961 vol 638 cc772-6
13. Mr. Willis

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to expand the Youth Employment Service in Edinburgh so as to deal adequately with the extra numbers of school-leavers this year and in the next few years.

Mr. P. Thomas

The number of youth employment officers has increased by 3 or 50 per cent. since 1956. The future needs of the Service in the area are being kept under review.

Mr. Willis

Is the Parliamentary Secretary in fact doing anything now to meet the increasing demand for these services which is bound to arise during the next two years?

Mr. Thomas

The increase in the number of young people reaching the age of 15 in the area between 1956 and 1962 is 41 per cent., and the increase in the number of youth employment officers is 50 per cent.

16. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to expand the Youth Employment Services in Aberdeen City and County so as to deal adequately with the extra numbers of school-leavers during each of the next five years, including 1961.

Mr. P. Thomas

The number of youth employment officers in Aberdeen City has increased by 1 or 33 per cent. since 1956. In the County, where because of geographical difficulties the number of staff has for some time been generous in relation to the number of school-leavers, an additional part-time officer has been made available. The future needs of the service in the area are being kept under review.

Mr. Hughes

Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that he has, apparently inadvertently but unfortunately, narrowed the meaning of the word "expansion", which refers not only to numbers but also to kind? In these scientific days when the future of Britain is in the hands of youth, what expansion is taking place in the kind of employment which is offered to these educated and scientific youths?

Mr. Thomas

The Question is about the expansion of the Youth Employment Services. We are responsible directly and indirectly for the numbers of youth employment officers. As I told the hon. and learned Gentleman, in Aberdeen City they have increased since 1956 by 33 per cent.

18. Dr. Dickson Mabon

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to expand the Youth Employment Service in Renfrewshire so as to deal with the extra numbers of school leavers this year and in the next few years.

Mr. P. Thomas

The number of youth employment officers has increased by 2, or 40 per cent., since 1956. The future needs of the Service in the area are being kept under review.

Dr. Mabon

Is there any intention of trying to link up the work of the Youth Employment Service with possible potential developments either in the graving dock or in the motor-car factory in other parts of the county?

Mr. Thomas

We consider that the number of youth employment officers in post at the moment is adequate to deal with all eventualities in the area.

19. Mr. Hannan

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to expand the Youth Employment Service in Glasgow so as to deal adequately with the extra numbers of school leavers this year and in the next few years.

Mr. P. Thomas

The Central Youth Employment Executive is at present in consultation with the education authority about the staffing of the Service. The intention of these talks is to ensure that the arrangements made will be fully adequate to deal with the additional number of school leavers.

Mr. Hannan

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that increased staff in Glasgow is now a matter of great urgency? Will he bear in mind that in its Report in 1958 the Sub-Committee of the Estimates Committee pointed out that there were no grounds for thinking that this was an extravagant system, and that it still had to face its greatest test? Will he give an assurance that he will render all assistance to Glasgow in its expansion of the Youth Employment Service?

Mr. Thomas

Yes, it is a matter for the local authority, and I hope that there will be some increase. But, as I have said, the matter is under active consideration at the moment.

22. Mr. Manuel

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to expand the Youth Employment Service in Ayrshire so as to deal adequately with the extra numbers of school leavers this year and in the next few years.

Mr. P. Thomas

The number of youth employment officers has increased by 2, or 50 per cent. since 1956. The future needs of the Service in the area are being kept under review.

Mr. Manuel

Is not the Parliamentary Secretary by this time aware that this fiddling answer about increasing percentages of officers is quite inadequate to meet the situation we have in these areas in Scotland? Does he not think that in areas of prolonged unemployment he ought to streamline the procedure and form some kind of committee of representatives of employers, trade unionists and his own Department in order to see that proper apprenticeships are taken up in the various trades in the area, instead of fiddling about with this answer about greater percentages of officers?

Mr. Speaker

Order. Would those hon. Members who are not so situated as to be able to abstain from conversation be so kind as to conduct their conversations a little less loudly?

Mr. Thomas

I disagree entirely with the hon. Member that the numbers I have given are inadequate. The Question relates to the expansion of the Youth Employment Service. The increase in the number of children reaching 15 in the area about which he asks—Ayrshire—is 34 per cent. between 1956 and 1962. and the number of youth employment officers has been increased by 50 per cent. We consider that to be adequate.

23. Mr. Steele

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to expand the Youth Employment Service in Dunbartonshire so as to deal adequately with the extra numbers of school leavers this year and in the next few years.

Mr. P. Thomas

The Central Youth Employment Executive has made certain recommendations for increasing the number of advisory staff in the area. These are at present being considered by the authority.

Mr. Steele

I am extremely disappointed that, apparently, I do not have any percentage increase at all. Whilst, in fact, the other parts of Scotland had inadequate facilities before the percentage increases, those he has mentioned are not adequate at all. In view of this, would it not be better for the hon. Gentleman to ask the Central Office of the Tory Party to advise the industrialists in Scotland to provide money to enable this job to be done, rather than for it to be provided by the Central Office of the Tory Party for propaganda for the Tory Party?

Mr. Thomas

An increase in the Youth Employment Service in Dunbartonshire is a matter for the local education authority, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman will persuade that authority to pay particular attention to the recommendations that have been made to it.

26. Miss Herbison

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to expand the Youth Employment Service in Lanarkshire so as to deal adequately with the extra numbers of school leavers this year and in the next few years.

Mr. P. Thomas

The Central Youth Employment Executive has recommended increases in staff to take account of the additional number of school leavers.

Miss Herbison

Surely the Minister ought to be able to say what these increases are. Is he aware that the figures which he has already given today, when he takes credit for a 50 per cent. increase which might represent one officer, show that he assumes that the original number was adequate for the job? Is he not aware that we on this side of the House are convinced that we have never had an adequate service, and that in an area like Lanarkshire where there is so much unemployment the youth employment officers have a very heavy burden indeed? Will he say what reports they are giving to him of the very black spots that are blacker than those in Lanarkshire?

Mr. Thomas

I will certainly agree with the hon. Lady that the service in Lanarkshire at present is understaffed. I am very glad that she has raised this question, and I hope that she will use her influence with the education authority to ensure that it accepts the proposals that the executive made to it.