§ Ms. Clare Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many firms in (a) Great Britain and (b) the west midlands region are receiving payments under the young workers scheme; and if he will supply this information by industrial sector.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkStatistics on the young workers scheme are not held in the form requested.
§ Ms. Clare Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of young people currently employed under the young workers scheme were (a) previously employed under the youth opportunities programme and (b) previously employed directly by the employer now receiving a young workers scheme grant (a) in the west midlands and (b) in Great Britain.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIn Great Britain, it is estimated that a quarter of young workers entering the young workers scheme had been on the youth opportunities programme. Employers may apply in respect of new or current employees, and in practice the majority of young people employed under the scheme are recruited by their employer before an application is made. Separate information is not available for the west midlands.
§ Ms. Clare Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young workers scheme 119W allowances are paid (a) at the full rate and (b) at the reduced rate, in (i) the west midlands and (ii) Great Britain; and of these new recruits employed under the young workers scheme, how many are employed for less than one year in (a) the west midlands and (b) Great Britain.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIt is estimated that nationally 80 per cent. of young workers scheme allowances are paid at the full rate and 20 per cent. at the reduced rate. The average duration of an approved application is nine months; about one half of the young people for whom grants are paid are on the scheme for a period of one year. Comparable information in the form requested is not available on a regional basis.