Industrial Training Boards (Youth Employment Officers)

HC Deb 10 April 1967 vol 744 cc719-20

18. Mr. John Page

asked the Minister of Labour which industrial training boards have a youth employment officer as a member.

Mr. Hattersley

None, Sir.

Mr. Page

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is an increasing feeling in the country that careers advising is not really considered important by the Minister of Labour? Surely there is no group of people better equipped than youth employment officers to advise the industrial training boards on the type of training which they need to go in for?

Mr. Hattersley

The advice of youth employment officers is available to many industrial training boards, as they sit on the committees of those training boards. However, by and large, the boards themselves, having a responsibility for retraining adults as well as young people, feel that it is more appropriate to have representatives of education committees, whose responsibilities cover the more general aspects of educational policy.