§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that every school leaver who is unemployed will be offered a place on the youth opportunities programme in the current financial year; what extra funds he will make available and what plans he has to increase assistance for the young unemployed.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 4 November 1980, c. 508]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) which administers the youth opportunities programme (YOP) that the MSC and the careers service are making every endeavour to meet the school leaver undertaking. Up to the end of September an estimated 120,000 school leavers had entered the youth opportunities programme, compared with 73,000 at the same time last year. I have asked the MSC to review the adequacy of its plans in the light of the level of youth unemployment. YOP provisions for 1981–82 is currently being considered in the context of the annual review of special employment measures.