§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he has taken or proposes to take, against employers who dismiss permanent employees and then take on young persons under the youth opportunities programme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 5 May 1981, c. 22]: Where there is abuse of schemes under the youth opportunities programme and the abuses cannot be rectified, the schemes will be terminated.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set up special area boards of the Manpower Services Commission to control youth opportunities programme schemes in non-union shops and workplaces.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply. 5 May 1981, c. 23]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, which operates the youth opportunities programme, that it is presently considering with the TUC and CBI various changes in procedures to deal with applications to sponsor schemes, including those in non-union shops and workplaces. The setting up of special sub-committees of the existing MSC area boards is one of the options being considered.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce regulations to ensure that all applications for employers to take part in youth opportunities programme schemes have to be countersigned by trade unions in the workplace.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 5 May 1981, c. 23]: It is already normal procedure for relevant trade unions to be consulted before schemes under the youth opportunities programme are approved.
§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the Exchequer cost of maintaining a 16 or 17-year-old person on the youth opportunities programme assuming that he or she is living in a family of four with a household income, excluding youth opportunities programme allowances, of £6,000.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 6 May 1981, c. 64]: The average gross cost of maintaining a young person on the youth opportunities programme is £38 per week. After taking into account the benefits that participants would otherwise have claimed and other tax and national insurance effects, the Exchequer cost is approximately two-thirds of this figure. All participants receive a flat rate allowance