HC Deb 12 July 1977 vol 935 cc79-80W
17. Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now seek to introduce an opportunity guarantee for all unemployed school leavers.

Mr. Booth

As I announced in the House on 29th June, I have asked the Manpower Services Commission to operate a new programme of opportunities for young people on the lines of its proposals based on its working party's report on "Young People and Work". The programme will provide a range of opportunities to help young people prepare for work by giving training and worthwhile work experience. The programme will be in full operation by September 1978 when, with other programmes for young people, it will provide up to 130,000 places which should benefit over 230,000 young people in a full year. The Commission will make arrangements to ensure that no summer or Easter school leaver who remains unemployed the following Easter will remain without offer of a place under the programme.

33. Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will initiate an emergency programme for the training of school leavers who are now unemployed.

Mr. Golding

As my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 29th June, the Manpower Services Commission has been asked to operate a new programme of opportunities for unemployed young people on the lines of its proposals based on its working party's report on "Young People and Work". The programme will provide a range of work preparation and work experience courses. It will be in operation fully by September 1978 when, with other programmes for young people, it will provide up to 130,000 places which should benefit over 230,000 in a full year. There will be a progressive build-up of places in work preparation courses from this September. The work experience programme will continue into the new programme, and to ease the transition the job creation programme will be open for applications until the end of the year and the youth employment subsidy will be extended until 31st March 1978. This means that there will be over 30,000 more places available for young people this autumn than last autumn.