§ 13. Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the operation of measures to reduce unemployment.
§ Mr. PriorAt the end of January 1981 it is estimated that 926,000 people in Great Britain were covered by the Government's special employment measures and we estimate that in the current financial year 1980–81 these measures will cost about £840 million.
§ Mr. WilsonIf the Secretary of State has faith that the Government's monetary policies—or, indeed, the revised U-turn policies that recently seem to have been adopted—will lead to an expansion in the economy with the resulting skill blockages, will he not consider subsidising apprenticeships? In that way, young people will not only have jobs now, but will also have an opportunity to use their skills to the benefit of both industry and the communtiy in the future?
§ Mr. PriorThis year, we are subsidising about 25,000 apprenticeships. If we were to subsidise all apprenticeships, employers would not undertake any apprenticeship schemes themselves. We must try to maintain a balance. In Scotland alone, about 68,900 people receive help in one way or another through the Government's special employment measures.