§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the most recent details, for the north-west, of(a) the numbers of filled places in YTS by training occupational classification and (b) the number of contracted places in YTS by training occupational classification.
§ Mr. CopeAt 31 December 1988 there were 65,906 young people training on YTS in the north-west region. A breakdown by training occupational classification is given in the table. Information on the number of contracted places for YTS by training occupational classification is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
627W
North west region Filled places by training occupational classification at 31 December 1988 Number Administrative and clerical occupations 13,409 Creative, and educational and recreational service occupations 1,650 Health, community and personal service occupations 7,009 Selling and storage occupations 7,262 Scientific occupations 473 Catering,and food preparation and processing 2,550 Agricultural and related occupations 2,109 Fishing occupations 19 Transport operating occupations 667 Construction and civil engineering occupations 10,350 Mining, oil extraction and quarrying occupations 62 Electrical and electronic engineering occupations 2,992 Mechanical engineering, and metal production and Processing occupations 6,315 Motor vehicle repair and maintenance occupations 4,181 Non-metal processing occupations 1,143 Printing occupations 393 Clothing and textiles manufacturing occupations 1,924 Security service occupations 16
Number Others 3,382 Total 65,906
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the most recent details, in the north-west region, of(a) the number of young people who have been referred by the careers service for failing or refusing to take up a YTS place, (b) the number of young people who have waited more than eight weeks for a suitable YTS place, and in which occupational sector, and (c) the financial arrangements which have been made for young people in(b).
§ Mr. CopeI am not aware of any case where the careers service has referred a young person to the benefit service for failing or refusing to take up a YTS place.
It is not possible to provide information on the number of young people who may be waiting for a YTS place, as young people are not required to report what they are doing once bridging allowance expires. Provided they had made early contact and kept in regular touch with their local careers office they would have been offered a YTS place before the eight weeks bridging allowance period ends.
A young person who is still actively seeking a YTS place when his bridging allowance runs out and who,if benefit were not paid,would suffer severe hardship,may be eligible for income support.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on proposals to review the YTS, in particular if he will give details of the date and scope of the review, and of the parties likely to be involved in such a review.
§ Mr. CopeI have nothing to add to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall) on 17 January 1989 at column197.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the YTS allowances will be increased in the current year.
§ Mr. CopeI refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) on 18 January at column253.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the most recent details of(a) the number of YTS schemes and work placements which have been referred to the Training Agency in regard to allegations of racial discrimination, sex discrimination and discrimination against people with disabilities, (b) the outcome of the above allegations and (c) the number of YTS schemes and work placements which have had their contracts with the Training Agency cancelled because of evidence of discrimination in the three categories referred to in (a).
§ Mr. CopeWithin the past year there have been three cases of racial discrimination drawn to the attention of the Training Agency head office, which have been the subject of a Commission for Racial Equality investigation. In one, a potential work experience provider was found guilty of unlawful discrimination. In the others, two managing agents are currently being investigated by the Commission for Racial Equality.
628WAllegations of discrimination in YTS are handled initially at local level by the Training Agency, where most are resolved and do not need to be reported to head office.
Five YTS managing agents have failed to achieve approved training organisation status on grounds which included an unsatisfactory equal opportunities policy.