§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many youngsters presently on youth training schemes were previously in employment and have now been switched into the youth training scheme as part of the additionality concept.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the average qualifications and seniority of Manpower Services Commission staff responsible for the monitoring of youth training schemes and making recommendations for termination or renewal of schemes.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Monitoring of youth training scheme programmes aid related work is undertaken by local programme teams of 49W the Manpower Services Commission comprising executive grade and technical grade civil servants with the support of programme development staff who include both senior executive officers and senior technical staff. Recommendations to area manpower boards for termination or renewal of schemes are based on the regular monitoring reports of local programme teams.
§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) to what extent youth training schemes are automatically renewed if they meet minimum monitoring standards;
(2) what criteria are being used to assess whether youth training scheme projects should be renewed under modes A, B1 and B2.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe main criteria for renewal are performance in the previous year, the quality of training being offered and the number of places required for young people. No scheme is renewed without an assessment of these criteria.
§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment what regional variations exist in the level of monitoring of youth training schemes; and why.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonYouth training scheme programmes in all regions are subject to regular monitoring leading to an assessment of their performance. An assessment may be the result of a number of visits.
The proportion of youth training scheme places for which assessments had been made at the end of March is as follows:
per cent. Scotland 76 Northern 94 Yorkshire and Humberside 96 North west 88 Midlands 92 Wales 88 South west 85 South east 84 London 83 Great Britain 88 Single place locations (many of which are unoccupied) make up, most of the provision which is recorded as not yet assessed, and the variations between regions in the main reflect the distribution of these types of places.
§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the regional breakdown of youth training scheme places currently operated under the aegis of private training agencies as a percentage of (a) mode A and (b) all youth training scheme places in these regions;
(2) whether youth training scheme managing agents are required to have observed appropriate registration requirements with the companies registry and the Health and Safety Executive before they receive public money or their schemes are renewed;
(3) what account is taken of the application by youth training scheme sponsors of the principle of additionality when the renewal of their schemes is under consideration.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
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§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment how, and at what times, youth training scheme projects are assessed for their job substitution effects; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission has asked Social and Community Planning Research to undertake a survey of youth training scheme providers and this will include an assessment of any job substitution effects that the Scheme may have had. Preliminary results will be available later in the year.
I would very much regret it if job substitution was taking place and I should be grateful if the hon. Member would let me know of any evidence he has of this.