Duchess of ATHOLLasked the Minister of Labour if she considers the arrangements for assisting persons in rural areas in Scotland to find employment and for giving vocational guidance to young people about to leave school in those areas are adequate; and, if not, what steps she proposes to take to improve them?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI am making inquiries as to the extent to which further facilities for adults and juveniles are necessary in rural areas in Scotland but my inquiries have not yet been completed. I think that it is probable that the arrangements in Scotland will require some extension, at any rate as regards juveniles, and I hope the Noble Lady will allow me to communicate further with her on this subject at a later date.
§ Lord E. PERCYasked the Minister of Labour what will be the estimated number of young persons of 18 years of age and under in employment or seeking employment in each of the years 1932 to 1939, inclusive, on the assumption that the school-leaving age is raised to 15+ in 1931?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAssuming that the statutory age for leaving school is raised to 15+ on 1st April, 1931, the numbers 865W of young persons under 18 years of age, in or available for employment in Great Britain during the years 1932–1939, may, subject to the reservation stated below, be estimated as follows:—
1932 1,568,000 1933 1,431,000 1934 1,330,000 1935 1,426,000 1936 1,626,000 1937 1,794,000 1938 1,696,000 1939 1,618,000 Figures for the 18 year old age-group are not available.
These calculations are based upon figures furnished by the Committee on Industry and Trade, which assume that the ratio of young persons available for employment to the total number of young persons of corresponding age groups in the years in question remains as at the time of the 1921 Census. They may be subject to some modifications on account of the increasing tendency of children to remain on at school beyond the statutory leaving age: and of the possibility that young persons, not at present regarded as available, may be attracted into employment.