§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the need to encourage employers to provide more apprenticeships, he will introduce a youth supplement to the regional employment premium to assist in achieving this objective.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithNo. The Government have announced their intention to phase out regional employment premiums from September 1974. In any event, indications are that there will be adequate opportunities for school leavers to obtain apprenticeships this year owing to the improvement in the economic climate and the reduction in the number of leavers consequent to the raising of the school-leaving age.