Mr. David Adamsasked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps at an early date, to increase the usefulness of vocational guidance to young people in this country; whether, in view of the continued decline of apprenticeship to the skilled trades, and the urgent necessity of preventing waste of young people's lives, and their drifting into unskilled occupations, he will cause increased attention to be given to the general question of the entry of young workers into industry; and to what extent he has found that long hours worked by young people interfere with technical education?
§ Mr. E. BrownThere is in existence, through the Juvenile Employment Offices of the Ministry of Labour and of local education authorities exercising choice of employment powers, in accordance with the local committees for juvenile employment, a comprehensive service for providing vocational guidance to young people in this country. The system is kept constantly under review, with a view to maintaining and improving its efficiency.
With regard to the second part of the question, I have recently asked the National Advisory Councils for Juvenile Employment to undertake an inquiry into the supply and demand for juvenile labour and into blind alley employment.
With regard to the third part of the question, I am informed by my Noble Friend, the President of the Board of Education, that interference with technical education has been observed mainly in connection with the working of overtime at certain seasons of the year.
Mr. David Adamsasked the Minister of Labour whether any steps have been 1916W taken to ascertain the number of young people who have migrated from the Special Areas to the south in the hope of employment, and then have had to return home; and is his Department particularly instructed to take note of such cases?
§ Mr. E. BrownBoys and girls under 18 are transferred through the machinery of the Department only to employment which is immediately available, and effective arrangements are made for transferring them to other employment, should this become necessary, or enabling them to return home. I have no means of ascertaining the movements of young persons who seek employment otherwise than through the official machinery but all practicable assistance is given to them if they find themselves unemployed in the new area and make application to the Employment Exchange.