§ 7. Mr. Nigel EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in the United Kingdom have either education or training places; and what were the figures in 1979.
§ Mr. PaiceThe answer is 1.1 million in spring 1994. This is 84 per cent. of all 16 and 17-year-olds, which compares with 54 per cent. in 1984, the first year for which information is available.
§ Mr. EvansOpposition Members have a sad obsession with job-destroying policies such as the social chapter, the minimum wage and adding social costs on to employers. Are not the policies which we have adopted—including training and education, the national curriculum, general national vocational qualifications, national vocational qualifications, youth credits, the modern apprenticeship scheme, the accelerated apprenticeship scheme and the schemes adopted by training and enterprise councils—far better? Are not those policies the best way of giving hope and opportunity to our young people for the future?
§ Mr. PaiceMy hon. Friend is right. The Government have put in place a range of measures so that all our young people—whatever their background or ability—can choose the best way to maximise their talents and to drive 133 forward Britain's economic recovery and skills for the future. Nearly all of the changes have been opposed by the Labour party, which has begrudgingly come round to accept them, because it knows that what we are doing is right in the long term for our country.
§ Mr. Barry JonesHow many apprenticeships exist today in Britain?
§ Mr. PaiceApprenticeships at present are a matter for individual industries. There is no national apprenticeship scheme for which records could be kept. The modern apprenticeships scheme that the Government are launching is presently in prototype form and, as the hon. Gentleman knows, there are 18 prototypes up and running. This autumn there will be another 40. By the time that the programme is complete, there will be 70,000 skilled people coming out of modern apprenticeships each year.
§ Mr. EvennettDoes my hon. Friend agree—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) cannot raise a point of order; it was not his substantive question.
§ Mr. Evennettrose—(Interruption.]
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. Let us have a little quiet so that we can hear the hon. Gentleman who is on his Feet—Mr. Evennett
§ Mr. EvennettDoes my hon. Friend agree that the many sixth formers staying on after the age of 16 and the many young people in training constitute a real achievement and a real success story? Does he further agree that that lays the foundation for successful training to be built on by those young people in the future, so that we shall have a well-trained and skilled work force?
§ Mr. PaiceYes, my hon. Friend is right; 73 per cent. of 16-year-olds are now in full-time education, compared with only 48 per cent. 10 years ago. That is a tremendous achievement, and must bode well for the future.