§ Sir P. Bryanasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many places are available in training centres for school leavers in Humberside.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the training opportunities scheme and its skillcentre courses were designed to help adults to change or improve their careers and, except for disabled people, training is normally limited to people aged 19 years and over who have been out of full-time education for at least three years. However, in areas of above average unemployment, school leavers with no reasonable prospect of employment may be offered short industrial courses at skill-centres or other training establishments.
At Hull Skillcentre there is a mixed engineering course with 10 places, opened originally for adults but to which unemployed young people with no foreseeable job prospects are now admitted. Two further courses specifically for young people, in engineering with 20 places and in retail distribution with six places, are planned to open in employers' establishments in September. A search is continuing for other spare training capacity in which to open further classes.