HC Deb 08 November 1976 vol 919 cc84-5W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the effect of his measures announced on 3rd August (a) on Merseyside, (b) in Kirkby and (c) in Ormskirk.

Mr. Golding

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that under the work experience programme the number of organisations which had schemes approved at 29th October, and the number of places offered to young people on these schemes was as followsMerseyside: 5 schemes offering 45 places; Kirkby: 1 scheme offering 2 places; Ormskirk: 2 schemes offering 4 places.

Secondly, Merseyside, including Kirk-by and Ormskirk for which separate statistics are not available, has also benefited from the increase in special training courses provided directly by the Training Services Agency for young people. Whereas in May 1976 unemployed young people on Merseyside had access to 497 places on these courses, there are now some 760 places available to them.

The occupational range of courses has also been extended and young people now have a wider choice.

Measures for which my Department is responsible include the recently announced job release scheme, which is limited to assisted areas, which include Merseyside, Ormskirk and Kirkby, and is to operate from 3rd January 1977 for a period of six months.

Under the recruitment subsidy for school leavers, up until the end of October, 2,304 applications had been approved on Merseyside. Figures are not available for Kirkby and Ormskirk.

Applications approved under the youth employment subsidy, up until the end of October, are as follows: Merseyside, 131; Kirkby, 10; Ormskirk, 0.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers are still unemployed (a) on Merseyside, (b) in Kirkby and (c) in Ormskirk; what action he is taking to ensure that they have jobs; and when he expects them to find employment.

Mr. Golding

On 14th October the numbers were (a) 7,600; (b) 583, and (c) 35. Since August there has been a steady decline in the level of unemployment

Sponsor Number of applications received Number of projects approved Number of projects rejected or withdrawn Number of projects still under consideration
London Borough of Greenwich 7 2 5
Royal Artillery Institution 1 1
National Association for Mental Health 1 1
James Wolfe School Management Committee 1 1
Greenwich Community Relations Association 2 1 1
St. Andrew's Reform Church 1 1
Greater London Council Department of Public Health Engineering 1 1
Greenwich Work Force Limited 1 1
Trust Thamesmead Limited 1 1
Thames Polytechnic 1 1
Greater London Council Parks Department 1 1