§ 25. Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he is taking to encourage a greater awareness among young people of opportunities in small business and self-employment.
§ Mr. MacGregorIt is very important that young people are aware of the opportunities small businesses and self-employment can offer. My Department is supporting this awareness in several ways.
Two films for schools—"Self Starters" and "Head for Business"—have just been made available free to secondary schools on video along with teachers' notes and suggestions for further work. Both films show young people setting up on their own and how they have faced up to the problems as well as the challenges this involves.
We are supporting the Schools Council industry project (SCIP) in activities bringing business project work into their curriculum development. The Department encourages organisations such as young enterprise and project Trident which also help to give young people at or just after school an awareness of business skills through practical project work.
Much more remains to be done and success hinges on the encouragement of a positive attitude in schools, colleges and universities to enterprise. This requires a yet closer relationship between industry and education which my Department, along with the Education Departments, are anxious to help to extend.