§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of job losses in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Merseyside special development area from May 1979 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information is not available in the form requested. The number of net job losses—or gains—may be calculated by comparing employment figures at different dates, but these are not available for areas below regional level except from the censuses of employment. Information is available for the June 1978 census, but results of the following census—for September 1981–are not yet available.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to reduce unemployment amongst young people and school leavers in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Merseyside special development area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Government's success in bringing down inflation will benefit the unemployed, including the young unemployed.
In the meantime the youth opportunities programme is helping unemployed young people with courses of work experience and training and we have guaranteed a place on the programme by Christmas 1982 to this year's school leavers. Some 33,000 entrants are planned for this year in Merseyside.
Next year the new youth training scheme will replace the current programme with a full year of foundation training.