§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment, in cases where practical experience and training is provided for young people by industry, what are the terms under which assistance is given, when decisions are normally taken to pay training costs to employers; and whether payments are normally made in advance, by instalments or in arrears after 26 weeks' training.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that young people participating in the work experience programme are paid an allowance of £16 per week. The allowance is paid to young people by employers running work experience schemes who are reimbursed by the Manpower Services Commission, usually monthly in arrears. Costs incurred by employers in mounting schemes are met by them. Employers are also encouraged to expand opportunities for experience and training in normal employment by the offer ofper capita grants for additional recruitment, payable by instalments in arrears as a contribution towards initial training costs.