§ 49. Mr. Wolfsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 1979 school leavers are currently unemployed; and, of those in employment, how many are benefiting from Government-sponsored work experience and training schemes.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThere were 27,165 school leavers under 19 unemployed in January 1980, who left school in the 1978–79 school year.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that on 10 January 1980, by which time over 100,000 unemployed 1979 school leavers had already entered the Youth Opportunities Programme, there remained some 13,000 for whom provision had still to be made.
I regret that it is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the number of 1979 school leavers currently engaged in the programme.