International Youth Year (Hansard, 27 March 1985)

§ Baroness Fisher of Rednal
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, the Government are directly supporting the year by grant aiding the national co-ordinating committees in the United Kingdom. Many other activities in Government programmes have relevance to the objectives of the year. A considerable number of organisations are carrying out relevant activities.

§ Baroness Fisher of Rednal
My Lords, while I thank the noble Earl for that Answer, may I say that it does not encourage me very much because it does not give me any really detailed information. One of the problems that the youth are finding with these programmes is that they are being heard but not understood. Therefore, may I ask the noble Earl to make quite sure that in the programmes that come under his jurisdiction the problems and difficulties of young people are fully understood?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I shall try to expand a little, if I may, on what is happening. I think there are some 150 local groups which are organising their own activities and programmes. A number of initiatives relating to the year, including, for example, the establishment of more local committees to foster greater participation by young people, are expected to have a longer-term effect, and I hope that the year will help to demonstrate the valuable contribution which is being made by so many young people.
There are a number of activities, including, first of all, some conferences, initiatives to foster greater participation by young people, projects to improve water supplies in the Sudan and Sri Lanka, church services, visits and exchanges, and programmes including disabled young people. These are, of course, only a few examples. I am very grateful for this Question, which has allowed me to draw attention to what is going on in International Youth Year.

§ Baroness Carnegy of Lour
My Lords, is the Minister aware that in Scotland the organisation of the whole of International Youth Year has been coordinated by a committee consisting entirely of young people themselves, and that they were greatly encouraged by the attendance, at the launch, of his honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I am very grateful to my noble friend for pointing that out, which seems to be an admirable situation.

§ Baroness Lane-Fox
My Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that, in support of the International Youth Year, Thames Television plans to hold a Telefon marathon fund-raising event over 24 hours from 29th to 30th October, the results of which will be distributed among a wide range of needy youth organisations? This, it is hoped, will be a very successful event.

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I was not aware of that, but I think it is a delightful piece of advertising, if I may say so, and I hope the message gets out.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that one of the most significant contributions Her Majesty's Government could make to International Youth Year is to take really significant steps—drastic steps, and long overdue steps—to reduce youth unemployment?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I think that that is perhaps a national problem more than an international one, and, of course, we are doing everything we can. That was one of the reasons why my right honourable friend the Chancellor announced during his Budget speech that the youth training scheme is to be extended to provide two years' training.

§ Lord Blease
My Lords, is it not obvious that there is a wide distribution of responsibility for youth affairs in the various Government departments and Ministries? Would the noble Earl not agree that there is a need to encourage active and effective coordination by the appointment of a Minister for Youth Affairs? Would he not also agree that in International Youth Year this is something which should perhaps be drawn to the attention of the Prime Minister?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I do not think I go quite as far along that track as the noble Lord suggests, but I think this gives me an opportunity to draw to the attention of your Lordships the fact that a circular on the youth service was issued yesterday. I think that perhaps it did not get the attention it merited because it was issued at the same time as the White Paper on better schools.

§ The Countess of Mar
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware of the work being done by the regional arts councils this year to try to bring to the attention of young people the work of the arts, and to try to get them to participate? Is he also aware (perhaps wearing his other hat) of the lack of musical education in 1033 schools because of the cut-back of musical training in schools? Is the noble Earl further aware of the fact that the West Midlands Regional Arts Association has a mere £7,000 from the Arts Council this year to publicise International Youth Year, and that it has had to turn to the West Midlands County Council, the existence of which is in doubt, for the extra money to pay for publicity?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I am grateful for the first part of the supplementary question of the noble Countess, which draws attention to the arts, but I am afraid that the matter of the provision of music in schools is very, very wide of this Question.

§ Baroness Fisher of Rednal
My Lords, will the noble Earl tell me whether the meeting at No. 10 Downing Street yesterday was part of International Youth Year? Has he read the reports in the national press of the discouragement felt by the youth who attended that meeting at 10 Downing Street?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I do not think that it had anything to do with International Youth Year, and therefore it is wide of the original Question.