Youth Employment

HC Deb 30 January 1973 vol 849 cc1134-7

1. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he hopes to reach his decision on financial aid to schemes specifically designed to help youth employment.

31. Mr. Sutcliffe

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide additional help to prepare long-term unemployed young people for permanent employment; if he will make provision for extending the Community Industry Scheme; and what consideration he has given to limiting employment in the scheme to a period of two years or until a person attains the age of 19 years.

The Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Dudley Smith)

My right hon. Friend expects to make a statement within the next few days and I cannot anticipate what he might say.

Mr. Dalyell

Why cannot it be made now? This has been going for three months. In particular, what is being done for the long-term unemployed who are associated with the scheme?

Mr. Smith

I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's concern and interest, but, as he probably appreciates, this was a pilot scheme and certain difficulties have arisen about long-term administration. We want to get it right. As I say, my right hon. Friend will be making a statement within the next few days. It was hoped to be able to do so today but that has not proved possible. We shall be making a statement very shortly.

Mr. Sutcliffe

Is my hon. Friend considering giving help to firms which have spare training capacity and could give engineering craft training for a full four years to unemployed schoolleavers?

Mr. Smith

We do help with training in assisted areas, and this matter is kept constantly under review. Again, I know my hon. Friend's interest in this subject and he may like to know that the National Youth Employment Council is doing an "in depth" study into the whole question of long-term employment for the less able young person. We are helping to service this inquiry and are giving it every facility.

Mr. Harold Walker

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that youth unemployment persists at a devastatingly high level and that the figures which were published this month show a worse trend? As my hon. Friend the Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) said, Questions have been on the Order Paper every month——

Mr. Dalyell

Scandalous!

Mr. Walker

—since July. After all these months of persistent questioning from both sides of the House we are promised a statement in a few days, but not now. The scheme has proved its worth beyond doubt, and there is widespread expectation that the Government will respond. Will not the hon. Gentleman give an assurance, in advance of the statement, that the Government will respond sympathetically, and bring hope to those who depend upon the scheme, which has been running so successfully?

Mr. Smith

The hon. Gentleman has held office and knows that it is impossible to anticipate an important statement. I appreciate the interest that has been shown in this pilot scheme, which has been extended from the end of last year until March. I can give an assurance that there will not be any redundancies for those who are currently affected by it.

Sir S. McAdden

Is the situation as depressing as has been indicated by the questions, or is there now a better trend in youth employment?

Mr. Smith

We mave to keep these things in proportion. In January 1973 the number of registered unemployed young people was 46,952. In January 1972 the number was 55,842. Those figures also answer the question asked by the hon. Member for Doncaster (Mr. Harold Walker). The number of vacancies has also improved and there are definite signs that 'the employment situation for young people is improving. We are not complacent about it. The Community Industry Scheme is very small, but is none the less an interesting experiment.

21. Mr. R. C. Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now make a statement on the future structure of the youth employment service.

The Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Maurice Macmillan)

I expect to make an announcement very shortly.

Mr. Mitchell

Is the Minister aware that there is widespread concern among youth employment and careers officers at the delays? In making this statement, will he make "very shortly" mean "very shortly"?

Mr. Macmillan

I am fully aware of the difficulties of the situation. The future structure of the service will be defined in the Employment and Training Bill, which, as the hon. Gentleman has heard, we shall place before the House at a very early date. I cannot give an undertaking on this point, but it may be accompanied by a White Paper or explanatory document which will set out the position clearly.

Mr. Leslie Huckfield

Will the Secretary of State bear in mind the many valuable services provided by local authority careers officers? Will he not accept that their confidence is hardly to be won when he publishes papers before consulting them?

Mr. Macmillan

We published a consultative document. We have consulted fully. This is what we have been doing. We have been considering, in consultation with education departments, the scope and nature of any service which local authorities may be required to provide and their relationship with the Manpower Services Commission which the Government propose to set up.

There is a commitment to an extension into the further educational field for people with jobs, and this shows that there will be ample scope for opportunities for trained advisory staff.