HC Deb 24 March 1981 vol 1 cc293-5W
24. Mr. John Lee

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest percentage of placings in full-time employment or training of those completing courses on the youth opportunities programme.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Regular surveys are conducted by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) to determine the post-programme activity of young people leaving the work experience elements of the youth opportunities programme. The most recent survey results show that 68 per cent. of the young people sampled entered full-time employment, further education or another MSC scheme.

42. Mr. Brinton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainees receive assistance under the youth opportunities programme.

Mr. Peter Morrison

In the first 10 months of this financial year 275,000 young people entered the youth opportunities programme.

Currently about 136,000 young people are taking part in the programme.

The programme has been expanded to help 440,000 young people in 1981–82.

46. Mr. Colvin

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the amount allocated by the European social fund to the youth opportunities programme for 1981.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Allocations from the European social fund have not yet been made for 1981.

In 1980 the United Kingdom was allocated a total of £.135.3 million from the European social fund £47.6 million of which was for the youth opportunities programme.

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list separately the aggregate totals and the total increase or reduction in the number of placings under the youth opportunities programme and the special temporary employment premium programme in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands for the latest available date; and if he will give similar figures as at May 1979 and January 1980.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Foster

asked the secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he will arrange for local education authorities to be reimbursed monthly in arrears rather than quarterly in arrears by the Manpower services Commission in respect of expenditure on the youth opportunities programme;

(2) if he will give his latest estimate of the placement rates of young people into full-time employment from the youth opportunities programme for the United Kingdom as a whole and for each region separately;

(3) if he will give his latest estimate of the extent of substitution taking place in the work experience on employers' premises module of the youth opportunities programme;

(4) how many school leavers had not had an offer of a place in the youth opportunities programme by Easter 1980; and how many he estimates will not have had an offer by Easter 1981;

(5) if he is satisfied that the careers services base of knowledge of young people is sufficient to devise courses of vocational training within the youth opportunities programme to meet their individual requirements.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give his latest estimate of the proportion of young people in the youth opportunities programme undertaking off-the-job training and further education, for each module of the programme.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The latest estimate of the proportion of young people on work experience in the youth opportunities programme receiving some form of off-the-job job training or further education is 37 per cent. 33.8 per cent. of young people on work experience on employers premises receive such provision, 42.2 per cent. on project based work experience, 51.1 per cent. at training workshops and 53.4 per cent. on community service schemes.

Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now reimburse travelling expenses in excess of £1 per week to those engaged in the youth opportunities programme; and what would be the annual cost of this measure.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.