§ 10. Mr. Darlingasked the Minister of Labour how many young persons are registered as unemployed in Sheffield; how many school leavers have failed to find employment since mid-1962; and what facilities, for which he is responsible, exist in Sheffield for the industrial or commercial training of unemployed youngsters.
§ Mr. WhitelawOn 11th February, 417 young persons were registered; 36 of these were Christmas leavers and one was an Easter 1962 leaver. The Department does not provide training courses at Sheffield but there are opportunities at colleges of further education in the city for young people to follow courses which will prepare them for industry and commerce.
§ Mr. DarlingIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the number of unemployed young persons in Sheffield is in fact growing and that there is serious concern in this city about the facilities available for them for industrial training? Is he also aware that in an industrial city like Sheffield the industries depend upon skilled craftsmen, and that we cannot afford to waste even potential craftsmen to the number of 417, and training facilities ought to be provided in industry?
§ Mr. WhitelawI think that one would be bound to agree with the hon. Gentleman on the great value of training facilities in industry, and I am sure that the industrialists of Sheffield are not slow to appreciate that. School leavers are not the whole problem, for by the middle of February only 3 per cent. of the 1,353 Christmas school leavers were still registered as unemployed.