§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing for each year since 1975 to the latest available date and for those years ahead for which he can project (a) the number of 16 and 17-year-olds in the population and (b) those 16 and 17-year-olds, expressed as a number and as a percentage of (a), who were (i) in employment, (ii) unemployed, (iii) on Government training schemes, (iv) at school and (v) in further or higher education.
§ Mr. Butler[pursuant to his reply, 16 December 1983, c. 597]: The information in so far as it is available is as follows:
value of the rise in retail prices in Northern Ireland and(b) the value of the rise in average earnings for manual workers in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Butler[pursuant to his reply, 19 December 1983]: Between April 1978, when the youth opportunities programme started and October 1983 the United Kingdom retail prices index increased by 75 per cent. and between October 1978 and October 1982 the average earnings index for manual workers in Northern Ireland increased by 65 per cent. If the original allowance of £19.50 had been raised by the former index it would be about £34.10 and if by the latter, about £32.15.