§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what plans he has to ensure that disabled young people eligible for YTS will not have decreased access to training programmes as a result of preference being given to those who must have places or risk losing their supplementary benefit;
(2) how he will ensure that the quality of training places for disabled young people will be maintained at a high standard and improved against the pressure to provide a large quantity of training places.
§ Mr. John LeeI do not anticipate that the availability or quality of places for young disabled people will be affected by the new supplementary benefit proposals.
The Government have not yet announced how they will implement their commitment to ensure that those under 18 who choose deliberately to remain unemployed are not eligible for benefit, but they are equally committed to protecting other young people, including those who suffer from disabilities. There will he no impact on YTS opportunities for the disabled.