HC Deb 25 May 1993 vol 225 cc739-41
6. Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what fresh initiatives she plans to take to increase employment opportunities for young people.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Youth credits are helping increasing numbers of school leavers to acquire the skills businesses need.

Mr. Michael

As one who worked with young people for many years before entering this place, may I ask the Minister whether he accepts that a job and the hope of a job are crucial not only to young people themselves, but to the health of the whole community? Does not the Minister understand that the Government's complacency, reflected in his complacent answer to the question, leads to communities paying a heavy price? Will he give an undertaking to review the Government's failure in this area and really to tackle the scandal of youth unemployment?

Mr. Forsyth

The hon. Gentleman asked me what new initiatives the Government had taken, and I told him that youth credits were an example of a successful scheme that the Government had introduced. There are no new ideas among Opposition Members, which is why I thought that the hon. Gentleman had asked this question.

I agree, of course, with everything that the hon. Gentleman said about the importance of a job for a young person. Again, I tell him that we shall not take lectures from the party that destroyed the apprenticeship system at the behest of the trade unions. It is the party of the closed shop and of the closed mind, which closed off opportunities for young people.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

Does my hon. Friend accept that the continuing initiatives being taken through the training and enterprise councils and the fact that employers can have a major input into the TECs are a good way in which to create jobs? Will he pay tribute to the South and East Cheshire TEC which covers my constituency? It has introduced many initiatives and in Macclesfield and the surrounding area, we have among the lowest levels of unemployment among young people.

Mr. Forsyth

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend, and I endorse everything that he says about his local training and enterprise council, which is one of those involved in pushing forward our training credit initiative, which was a manifesto commitment. It enables young people to choose the training that suits their needs, rather than forcing them to take what they are offered. I entirely endorse what my hon. Friend said. I am sure that his close co-operation with the TEC bodes well for youngsters in that part of Great Britain. What a pity that Opposition Members do not take the same constructive approach.

Ms Lynne

Given that unemployment among young disabled people leaving youth training is between 35 and 50 per cent., does the Minister agree that training for young disabled people is woefully inadequate? What initiatives do the Government intend to bring forward?

Mr. Forsyth

I agree with the hon. Lady that we need to do everything possible to help disabled people, young and old alike. The Government have taken a number of initiatives to help to improve the position. I agree with the hon. Lady that it is important to be conscious of that issue, especially when jobs have been thin on the ground as a result of recession. That is very much part of the policy and direction that we have given to TECs and which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State bears in mind when contracts are decided and the programme is determined for the subsequent year.

Mr. Anthony Coombs

Does my hon. Friend agree that what is crucial, indeed heartening, for the long-term employment prospects of young people is the huge increase in training that has come about over the past eight years? Will he confirm that, over those eight years, the proportion of people leaving school and going into education and training has risen to nearly 75 per cent. against 50 per cent. eight years ago?

The proportion of young people able to go to university is now no less than a third of young people, compared to only a seventh under the previous Labour Government. Does my hon. Friend agree that both those trends underpin the skills base enormously, which will make the country competitive?

Mr. Forsyth

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. The Government have done more than any other to create opportunities for youngsters in training, in schools and in further education. Although there are record numbers participating, we are by no means complacent. We want to build on that success, because we want to build a successful country; it is high time that Labour Members stopped simply carping and began helping us to achieve that.