§ Mr.Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years fall into each of the following categories and what level of grant or public support is given to each category: (a) trainees on youth training schemes and (b) unemployed.
§ Mr.Peter MorrisonAt the end of March, there were 251,516 young people in training on the youth training scheme in Great Britain. On 12 January, the latest date for which an age analysis is available, there were 1,209,443 unemployed claimants aged under 25 in Great Britain.
The current training allowance for young people on the youth training scheme is £25 per week.
A young person who has not worked could qualify for supplementary benefit, the current weekly rate of which for 16 and 17 year olds is £16.50 and for those non-householders aged 18 and over £21.45. Young people who' have worked and paid national insurance contributions may qualify for unemployment benefit, which is currently £27.05 per week for a single person.