§ Mr. Fosterasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Manpower Services Commission growth programme, currently working in the North-East, will be expanded throughout the rest of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1981]: The Manpower Services Commission is expanding the youth opportunities programme to provide for some 450,000 entrants in 1981–82. In 1980–81 360,000 young people entered YOP.
In the Northern region it is expected that some 55,000 young people will enter the programme, as compared to 42,800 entrants in 1980–81.
The community enterprise programme which replaced the special temporary employment programme from April 1981 has been expanded to cover the whole country. Regional allocation of community enterprise programme places is broadly related to the number of long-term unemployed in each region.
Out of the 25,000 places available by March 1982, the Northern region has been allocated some 3,180. In March 1981 there were some 2,490 filled places.