HC Deb 22 July 1981 vol 9 cc136-7W
Dr. Hampson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Ripon, Otley and Ilkley areas are currently on youth opportunities programme schemes; and how many of those eligible for such schemes are unemployed.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Information is not available in the form requested. However, the numbers of young people who entered the programme between the beginning of April and the end of June 1981 in the appropriate local authority districts were as follows: 200 in Harrogate, which includes Ripon, 750 in Leeds, which includes Otley, and 840 in Bradford which includes Ilkley. At 9 April the number of people under 20 registered as unemployed at the Ripon and Otley, which includes Ilkley, employment offices were 64 and 92 respectively. In addition, there were 27 young people registered at the Ripon careers office, and 28 at the Otley careers office, which includes Ilkley, for whom an age analysis is not available, but the majority of whom can be assumed to be under 20.

Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the results of the survey carried out by the Manpower Services Commission in March on a sample of January entrants to the youth opportunities programme regarding off-the-job training; and if he will compare the results of this survey with previous surveys.

Mr. Peter Morrison

A report giving the results of the 1981 survey of off-the-job training received by entrants to the work experience components of the youth opportunities programme is now available and contains comparisons with previous survey results.

Mr. Grylls

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost of the advertising campaign currently being mounted by the Manpower Services Commission in the national and provincial press in order to publicise the youth opportunities programme; and if he will assess the effect that this is having.

Mr. Peter Morrison

[pursuant to his reply, 20 July 1981 c. 55]: The cost of the advertising campaign is £500,000. The campaign is to help recruit industrial sponsors to provide high quality places on the programme for unemployed young people. The commission has already had over 2,000 inquiries, many from large firms.

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