§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons have been taken on to schemes under the youth opportunities programme in Wales in each year since its inception; and how many of these have found employment within three months, or the closest conveniently available time span, of completing work on such schemes.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of entrants on the youth opportunities programme in Wales in each year since its inception were as follows:
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Year Number April 1978-March 1979 11,969 April 1979-March 1980 21,700 April 1980-March 1981 30,600 April 1981-March 1982 41,164 April 1982-February 1983 36,750 Detailed information of the numbers of YOP participants finding employment after completing the scheme is not available. Since 1979 annual sample surveys have been carried out each September in respect of entrants on to the programme in the quarter ending the previous September. The weighted results from these indicate that in Wales the following percentages were in employment at the time of the survey.
Quarter ending Percentage in employment at time of survey September 1979 entrants 60 September 1980 entrants 48 September 1981 entrants 54