§ 25. Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will bring forward proposals to stimulate job creation, especially among the young school leavers in West Yorkshire.
§ Mr. Jim LesterMy right hon. Friend announced on 14 February 1980 that the Government had agreed to a proposal by the Manpower Services Commission to increase the size of the youth opportunities programme from 210,000 entrants in 1979–80 to 250–260,000 entrants in 1980–81. This will enable the Commission to continue to operate, under the programme, its undertakings to unemployed school leavers and young people 81W unemployed for 12 months or more. Both YOP and the two undertakings will continue to cover West Yorkshire and the number of places will increase by about a third in 1980–81. Community Industry also operates in West Yorkshire to help young people with particular difficulties.
The small firms employment subsidy, which was the least cost-effective of the special employment measures, closed for applications on 31 March. However, the temporary short-time working compensation scheme will continue to operate throughout the country, and we have also extended the job release scheme for a further year.
We consider that this programme of measures will make an important contribution towards reducing unemployment and helping the particularly hard hit groups, such as school-leavers.