HC Deb 16 March 1990 vol 169 cc415-6W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people over 18 years are on YTS special training needs endorsements.

Mr. Patrick Nicholls

On 31 December 1989, 15,900 young people aged over 18 were on YTS with special training needs endorsements.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to introduce an increase in the youth training allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

The minimum value of the lower and higher levels of the youth training allowance will remain at £29.50 and £35 respectively. However, from 29 May, youth training trainees will be eligible for the higher rate of the trainee allowance when they reach their 17th birthday, instead of after completing a fixed period of training, which is the current rule. In consequence, most trainees will qualify for the higher level of the trainee allowance earlier than is the case now.

An increasing proportion of YTS trainees have been taken on as employees while training, and will be in receipt of a wage from their employer, not a training allowance. Those who remain as trainees (not employees) are increasingly likely to be in receipt of supplementary payments from employers. Both trends are most encouraging and show that employers are accepting more responsibility for bearing the costs of training young people.