§ 9. Mr. Ian TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers are involved with school-industry compacts.
Mr. JacksonMore than 8,000 employers are actively involved in school-industry compacts, guaranteeing about 25,000 jobs with training for school leavers.
§ Mr. TaylorDoes my hon. Friend agree that this scheme covers 78,000 young people? Does he also agree that it is important for industry to continue to play its role by encouraging children to have some influence on their own education and to play a wider role in the community and in industry? Will my hon. Friend give further encouragement to the scheme, which effectively means that by meeting pre-agreed targets young people are guaranteed a job at the end of tuition?
Mr. JacksonMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The growth of the compact movement is one of the great hopes for the future and has been one of the great successes of the late 1980s. It started in 1988 and 85,000 young people—not 78,000—are covered by compact arrangements. The first cohort of l6-year-olds will enter further education or jobs in the summer. There is tremendous enthusiasm among employers and I have seen at first hand the enthusiasm of young people who are benefiting from the compact guarantee. It is an excellent development.
§ Dr. ReidWhile we all welcome the fostering of legal and beneficial contacts between children, employers and industry, does the Minister agree that illegal contracts between children and employers are serious? To estimate how seriously the Minister regards this, will he tell us how many under-age children are illegally employed in this country?
Mr. JacksonI am afraid that I do not have that information to hand, but I shall look into the matter and come back to the hon. Gentleman. This is an important issue, although it does not arise directly out of the question about compacts. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I ask the House to listen quietly to questions and not to carry on private conversations, especially below the Gangway.