§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) excluding those employees who represent the additionality factor in mode A of the youth training scheme, what is the latest figure for the numbers and percentages of youth training scheme trainees in (a) Scotland and (b) Great Britain who have secured permanent employment;
(2) what proportion of youth training scheme entrants who have completed a full year's traning (a) secure regular work and (b) are unemployed in (i) Scotland and (ii) Great Britain.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonDetailed comprehensive information on the destinations of youngsters leaving the youth training scheme is not available. However, a recent sample survey showed that 58 per cent. of those leavers responding went into employment and a further 13 per cent. either went into or intended to go into further training or education. A copy of the paper containing the detailed results of this sample survey has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will describe the basis on which he calculates that 70 per cent. or more of youth trainees have secured work or further training, and provide the total figures on which this calculation is based.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe latest calculations on the destinations of youth training scheme leavers are based on the paper entitled "YTS Leavers", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. This paper includes a breakdown of the various destinations of leavers obtained from the recent sample survey of 3,500 young people in nine Manpower Services Commission areas who left individual programmes within the youth training scheme between 1 April and 31 July. The survey showed that 58 per cent. of the young people were in work and that a further 13 per cent. were in, or intending to go into, further training or education.
§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it a condition of renewal of the youth training scheme that the sponsors observe equal opportunity policies.
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§ Mr. Peter MorrisonAll contracts between the Manpower Services Commission and managing agents and sponsors include a clause requiring them to observe equal opportunities policy. Youngsters on the youth training scheme are covered by the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 in respect of recruitment to, and termination from, the youth training scheme.
§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ask the Manpower Services Commission to make full use of the Commission for Racial Equality and local community relations councils when implementing equal opportunity policy in the youth training scheme.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission will continue to use the Commission for Racial Equality and the local community relations councils as a source of advice, and guidance will be issued to managing agents and sponsors who participate in the youth training scheme to recognise this source of advice in implementing equal opportunities.
§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what steps he will take to see that the recommendations given by University of Bristol staff to the Manpower Services Commission are put into effect with respect to equal opportunities and the youth training scheme;
(2) whether he has considered the report on ethnic minorities and the youth training scheme prepared by Bristol university staff for the Manpower Services Commission.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI understand that the report is presently under consideration by the Manpower Services Commission.