§ Mr. Montgomeryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she has yet completed her consideration of the Report of the Youth Service Development Council, Youth and Community Work in the 70s; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ThatcherYes. I have studied the Report with care, in consultation with my colleagues.
The Government's view is that the service in England and Wales should continue on its present general basis, but with certain changes of emphasis which should be reflected by corresponding changes in the financial support given by the Department.
The Government do not think it would be right to change the nature of the service in England and Wales radically by setting up a Youth and Community Service with not very clearly defined responsibilities.
As far as national policy is concerned, the Government's view is that the present age limits for the service (14–20) should be interpreted with reasonable latitude. The needs of young school leavers in deprived areas should have special attention. Close liaison between voluntary bodies and local authorities, further joint use of premises and, wherever possible, the conversion of existing buildings will be encouraged by the Government.
298WThe Government recognise the valuable work of the Youth Service Development Council during the 10-year development period initiated by the Albemarle Report, but consider that the time has now come when it would be better to rely more on the normal processes of consultation and has decided that the Council should accordingly be wound up.
The system of capital and recurrent grants made by the Department needs to be simplified. The balance of the programmes will in future be shifted towards the provision of assistance to less prosperous areas. Plans will shortly be put to the local authority associations and voluntary bodies to introduce new financial and administrative arrangements which will provide for the supervision of individual capital projects to be undertaken locally.
Some of the funds currently devoted to capital aid will be released to give greater assistance to experimental work in the youth field, and some will be diverted, by means of the Urban Programme, to areas of high social need. Voluntary bodies should be able to benefit from both these kinds of provision.
Pending the completion of a review of the recurrent grants to the national headquarters of voluntary organisations, the policy of the former administration in generally maintaining these grants at their present level will continue.
The Government believe that these measures will lead to a better distribution of resources to meet priority needs, and to greater flexibility in their application. They should enable full-time and volunteer workers to make an even greater contribution to the welfare of young people.