HC Deb 21 January 1982 vol 16 cc178-9W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, further to his reply dated 9 December, Official Report, c. 419, to a written question from the hon. Member for Grimsby concerning the raising of the school leaving age to 17 years, he will publish in the Official Report details of the savings of £300 million on other programmes, the numbers of persons benefiting under those programmes and the number of young persons who would be removed from the labour market by raising the school leaving age to 17 years.

Mr. William Shelton

The savings of £300 million were based on over 300, 000 fewer participants in the youth opportunities programme—saving nearly £200 million—100, 000 feweryoung people receiving supplementary benefit—saving nearly £100 million—as well as fewer trainees on schemes of unified vocational preparation. The total number of young people not in full-time education for the first year after the end of the present compulsory period is estimated at about 500,000.