§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he proposes to raise the present youth opportunities programme allowance of £23.50; and what is the present rate in real terms compared with the retail price index at the time of its introduction.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonOn the level of the youth opportunities programme allowance, I have nothing to add 707W to the reply my right hon. Friend gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bodmin (Mr Hicks) on 30 June.—[Vol. 7, c. 685–86.] The current level of allowance was set at £23.50 in November 1979. Since that time the retail price index has risen by 24.4 per cent. and the allowance would need to be increased to £29 in order to restore its real value to the November 1979 level.