HC Deb 09 March 1983 vol 38 cc446-7W
Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent in Scotland in the Manpower Services Commission youth opportunities programme for each financial year since 1978–79; how many youngsters in total have been involved in each year; and what is his best estimate of the number of youngsters who move into employment following a period of youth opportunities programmes.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

The information is set out in the following table:

Youth Opportunities Programme—Scotland Amount Spent and Number of Entrants
Year £ millions Entrants
1978–79 7.75 23,600
1979–80 17.17 36,300
1980–81 32.67 49,300
1981–82 48.48 70,000

Information from the most recent survey for Scotland, undertaken in August 1982, shows that 51 per cent. of the sample of young people who had entered work experience schemes under the youth opportunities programme a year earlier were in employment shortly after leaving the programme.