§ 16. Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to extend training opportunities for those aged under 25 years. [7066]
§ Mr. PaiceThe White Paper "Learning to Compete", published on 9 December, builds on the exciting range of opportunities for young people. It sets out a learning entitlement up to national vocational qualification level 3, through a choice of routes including national traineeships and further expansion of modern apprenticeships, with special measures for those who need extra help to get started.
§ Mrs. FyfeIf the Labour party can guarantee real training with meaningful qualifications for a quarter of a million under-25s, what excuse does the Minister have for the betrayal of under-25s in the past 17 years?
§ Mr. PaiceThe hon. Lady would have done the House a greater service by drawing attention to, and admitting, the fact that Labour party policy is an absolute sham. The Labour party proposes to give people the chance to study only to NVQ level 2, which is equivalent to five GCSEs, when already nearly half our young people achieve that while they are at school. The Labour party is therefore merely extending the opportunity to become semi-skilled, in contrast with our proposals, announced on Monday, which will entitle all young people to study for a level 3 qualification as an entry into higher education or to become a qualified craftsman, technician or supervisor, with a real platform for a future career.