HL Deb 17 February 1982 vol 427 c557

2.41 p.m.

Baroness Faithfull

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice can be given to a local voluntary committee willing to run a work training scheme for the young unemployed which is approved by the Manpower Services Commission when both the rent asked for by the local authority and the commercial rent are beyond the allowance made by the commission.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Ferrers)

My Lords, the grants which are available from the Manpower Services Commission for schemes under the Youth Opportunities Programme have generally proved sufficient for sponsors to obtain suitable premises. In cases of difficulty, the commission's local area offices are available to advise about where to look for alternative premises or possible sources of additional funding.

Baroness Faithfull

My Lords, while I thank my noble friend the Minister for that reply, is he satisfied that the very imaginative training schemes for the young unemployed are, in fact, working efficiently? Is there a clear understanding of the roles of local authorities, voluntary committees and the Manpower Services Commission in relation to salaries, the setting up of schemes and rents?

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, the Manpower Services Commission's procedure for approving this kind of scheme has to be thorough because of the need to safeguard substantial public funds which may be involved. The commission's operating experience is that hasty approval of schemes may lead to difficulties which cannot afterwards be rectified. The commission is anxious to establish good training schemes as quickly as possible, and it will certainly give all the help it can to doing this.