HC Deb 19 October 1976 vol 917 cc1090-1
1. Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will offer every unemployed school leaver the right to create his or her own work, and make available further opportunities for job training and learning experience.

The Minister of State, Department of Employment (Mr. Harold Walker)

The further package of measures to alleviate unemployment amongst young people announced on 23rd August includes further allocations to the Training Services Agency and an extra £15 million for the Job Creation Programme. In addition, it is hoped that the Work Experience Programme will provide a realistic introduction to working life for at least 30,000 young people aged under 19, mainly school leavers.

Mr. Steen

Is the Minister aware that there are now about 400,000 unemployed under the age of 25 and a further 200,000 who are under 21 and who have never had a job before? What does he propose to do for those who are not catered for under these schemes, as they total about 95 per cent. of 600,000?

Mr. Walker

Because of his interest in the subject the hon. Gentleman should know as much as any hon. Member how many of our recent measures are specifically directed at young people. I have had the benefit of reading his views, which, summed up, appear to require young people to find a job of their own or forfeit social security benefits, or to find a job and be paid supplementary benefit rates. That is a solution which is unacceptable to the Government.

Mr. Arnold Shaw

What about the efforts made by the Government over the last 18 months for school leavers? Has the Minister an estimate of the accrued benefits of the measures that have been passed?

Mr. Walker

Yes. We estimate that about half a million people will have been helped in employment by the range of measures introduced by the Government.

Sir P. Bryan

What proportion of the jobs generated by the Job Creation Programme have been produced by local authorities and what proportion by private and voluntary bodies?

Mr. Walker

I cannot give the exact figures, but the majority have come from local authorities. However, it is open to other organisations, bodies and individuals to put forward projects, and that includes private industry. I know that the people in charge of the scheme have gone to great lengths to encourage private employers to put forward projects

Mr. Henderson

What steps are being taken to monitor what happens to people who come out of the schemes to see if the work has been of any value to them in finding a job?

Mr. Walker

It is obviously important to do what we can in terms of follow-up, and this is being done by the agencies of the Manpower Services Commission.

Mr. Rooker

Is my hon. Friend aware that of the 1½ million registered unemployed, 260,000-plus receive not a penny piece from the State? That is the motive behind the Question tabled by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen), who wants to increase that figure.

Mr. Walker

I agree with my hon. Friend's last words.