§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how he proposes that the youth opportunities programme shall be modified in steel rundown areas so as to provide special attention to their needs.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 24 June 1980, c. 91–2]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) that the youth opportunities programme is essentially geared to local needs and special programmes area boards took account of known forthcoming redundancies 559W in preparing their plans for 1980–81. At this stage those plans are not being adjusted, since they are adequate to cope with need at present. They mine whether they are still meeting local will be reviewed later in the year to deter-needs.
In the areas most affected by steel closures the MSC will be making particular efforts to overcome the difficulty in finding sufficient sponsors for YOP scheme, especially WEEP (work experience on employers' premises) to meet local needs.