§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his reply
510Wexpanded this year in order to admit over a quarter of a million young people throughout the country by next March.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons aged 18 years and under there are in each case in (a) Bury St. Edmunds, (b) Belper, (c) Chelmsford, (d) Daventry. (e) Gloucester, (f) Grantham, (g) Guildford, (h) Eastbourne, (i) Lincoln, (j) Oswestry, (k) Reigate, (l) Scunthrope. (m) St. Ives, (n) Stowmarket. (o) Stratford upon Avon, (p) Wallasey, (q) Worcester, (r) Yoevil and (s) Torbay, who have never had a job; and if he will provide comparable figures in each case for 1979 and 1978.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply. 28 October 1980, c. 141–43]: The following table gives the numbers of registered unemployed young people aged 18 years and under who, at 11 September 1980, the latest date for which information is readily available, had not been in employment since completing full-time education. Corresponding information is given for 13 September 1979 and 14 September 1978.
Work experience and training opportunities will be available for these young people under the youth opportunities programme, which the Secretary of State announced on 14 February would be expanded this year in order to admit over a quarter of a million young people throughout the country by next March.
to the hon. Member for Bedwellty, (Mr. Kinnock) Official Report, 31 January, column 741, if he can now give details of his proposal to set up an open technical 511W college similar to the Open University; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jim LesterMy department is exploring with the Education Department and the MSC in the first instance the possibilities for encouraging and extending open learning methods, particularly in the area of vocational education and training.