HC Deb 17 April 1986 vol 95 cc491-2W
Ms. Clare Short

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish (a) the number of training places covered by the YTS and the annual cost of the scheme in each year since it started, (b) the current number of places covered by the scheme and its cost, (c) the average weekly income and number of hours of trainees; and if he will provide a breakdown between mode A, mode B1 and mode B2 places.

Mr. Trippier

The information on training places and cost of YTS in the financial year since the scheme started is shown in the following tables:

Numbers of places approved during the financial years since YTS began
1983–84 1984–85 1985–86*
Mode A 320,923 308,093 304,338
Mode B1 89,799 72,175 67,196
Mode B2 31,773 16,090 13,744
Total 442,495 396,358 385,278
* At 28 February 1986 latest available.

(a) Expenditure
£ million 1983–84 Outturn 1984–85 Outturn 1985–86†
Mode A 236.5 467.5 526.0
Mode B1 111.6 240.0 236.0
Mode B2 20.5 39.1 26.0
† Provisional end year outturn.

1983–84 1984–85 1985–86
1. Capital Grants 1.2 4.6 3.0
2. Other Expenditure 10.7 12.2 15.1
3. Total YTS Expenditure 380.5 376.4 806.1

Notes:

1. Capital Grants expenditure cannot be separately identified by Mode.

2. Other expenditure includes research and development accredited centres and miscellaneous minor items.

3. Excludes MSC administration costs.

4. Outturn for 1985–86 is provisional. (b) For the current financial year 1986–87 expenditure is estimated at £906 million to cover around 468,000 places. (c) All trainees whether employed or non-employed receive at least the standard training allowance plus any payments in respect of travel costs or lodgings to which they may be entitled. Payments made to trainees in excess of the standard allowances are a matter for the training providers concerned. Neither my Department nor the Manpower Services Commission maintain a record of such payments.

The detailed information requested on trainee hours is not readily available. However it has always been the rule that trainees must generally spend no more than 40 hours per week on YTS excluding meal breaks.

Mr. Kirkwood

asked the Paymaster General, further to his answer of 18 December 1985, Official Report, column 187, whether he intends to encourage or counsel employers to contribute towards the funding of the two-year YTS.

Mr. Trippier

The funding for two-year YTS has been set at a level which will lead managing agents generally to seek contributions from employers. The Government recognise the importance and legitimacy of such contributions; it does not, however, intend to issue specific guidance on the level of contributions that managing agents should seek.

Mr. Wigley

asked the Paymaster General what are the latest figures for the proportion of those who have taken part in YTS schemes in England who have subsequently found full-time employment; and what proportion subsequently were unemployed in each of the years since the scheme's inception.

Mr. Trippier

Information is not available in the form requested. The Manpower Services Commission has conducted regular follow-up surveys of those leaving YTS schemes since 1984. Postal questionnaires are sent to young people some three months after they leave their scheme. Information covering leavers in England between June 1984 and March 1985 is set out below, alongside the latest available information (covering leavers in England between April and October 1985).

Young people leaving YTS schemes in England between
June 1984-March 1985* per cent. April-October 1985‡ per cent.
In full-time work with same employer 25 31
In full-time work with different employer 32 24
In part-time work 4
On full-time course at college/training centre 3 4
On another YTS scheme 6 6
Doing something else 3 7
Unemployed 30 25
Number of respondents 31,432 138,926
* based on 15 per cent. sample survey.
† part-time figures not available.
‡ based on 100 per cent. survey.