HC Deb 22 February 1979 vol 963 cc270-2W
Mr. Bulmer

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the gap between the number of jobs likely to be available for school leavers and those leaving school over the next five years.

Mr. Golding

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is not possible to forecast the number of jobs for school leavers, since school leavers compete with other people looking for work. The Government accept, however, that so long as the general level of unemployment remains high, and increasing numbers of young people are leaving full time education, there will continue to be large numbers of young unemployed, who will have little or no experience of employment. The Manpower Services Commission's youth opportunities programme seeks to provide unemployed young people with work experience or training to improve their prospects of finding permanent jobs.

Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what estimate his Department has made of the number of school leavers likely to be out of work in August in each of the next five years in the following regions (a) the South-East, (b) East Anglia, (c) the South-West, (d) the West Midlands, (e) the East Midlands, (f) Yorkshire and Humberside, (g) the North, (h) Wales and (i) Scotland;

(2) what estimate his Department has made of the number of school leavers likely to be out of work in November in each of the next five years in the following regions (a) the South-East, (b) East Anglia, (c) the South-West, (d) the West Midlands, (e) the East Midlands, (f) Yorkshire and Humberside, (g) the North, (h) Wales and (i) Scotland;

(3) what estimate his Department has made of the number of school leavers likely to be out of work in February in each of the next five years in the following regions (a) the South-East, (b) East Anglia, (c) the South-West, (d) the West Midlands, (e) the East Midlands, (f) Yorkshire and Humberside, (g) the North, (h) Wales and (i) Scotland;

(4) what estimate his Department has made of the number of school leavers likely to be out of work in May in each of the next five years in the following regions (a) the South-East, (b) East Anglia, (c) the South-West, (d) the West Midlands, (e) the East Midlands, (f) Yorkshire and Humberside, (g) the North, (h) Wales and (i) Scotland.

Mr. Golding

My Department does not produce such estimates.