Youth Training Scheme

HC Deb 09 July 1985 vol 82 cc413-6W

32. Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest estimated proportion of youth training scheme leavers finding employment.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The Manpower Services Commission conducts a regular survey of youth training scheme leavers. Questionnaires are sent to 15 per cent. of leavers some three months after they leave the scheme. The latest information, which is available in the Library, covers young people who left the scheme in October 1984. This shows that 49 per cent. were in work, 9 per cent. on another youth training scheme, 1 per cent. on a full-time course at a college or training centre, 1 per cent. were back at school, 38 per cent. were unemployed and 2 per cent. were doing something else.

The decrease in the proportion in work, compared to results of surveys for previous months, reflects partly the seasonal reduction in the recruitment activity of employers and partly the considerably lower number of those who left the youth training scheme in October 1984, many of them before they had completed a full period of training. A much more comprehensive picture is provided by the survey of those leaving the scheme between July and September 1984, the peak leaving period, which shows that some 60 per cent. went into employment and about two thirds went into work or full-time education or training.

34. Mrs. Clwyd

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what additional funds will be available from the European Economic Community to finance the second year of the youth training scheme.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Financial support from the European Community for the second year of the youth training scheme will depend on the extent to which the European Commission decides that it meets their priorities for assistance from the European social fund.

50. Mr. Hoyle

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to counteract the decline in the number of youth training scheme leavers who find employment.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The most comprehensive picture to date of those leaving the youth training scheme remains the survey of those leaving the scheme between July and September 1984. Almost half the 1984 leavers left the scheme during that period. The survey showed that some 60 per cent. went into employment and about two-thirds went into employment or full-time education and training. It can be highly misleading to look at a single month's figures in isolation because of seasonal and cyclical factors. The youth training scheme is a high quality scheme offering those who go on it a real opportunity to improve their employment prospects.

62. Mr. Sean Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the retention rate among young people on youth training scheme programmes on Merseyside.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Information based on a 15 per cent. sample of young people in the Manpower Services Commission's Merseyside inner and outer areas who left the youth training scheme between July and September 1984 (when almost half 1984 leavers left the scheme) shows that, at the time of the survey, 43 per cent. were in work, 6 per cent. on a full-time course at a college or training centre, 1 per cent. back at school and 7 per cent. on another youth training scheme programme. Of the remainder, 41 per cent. were unemployed and 2 per cent. doing something else.

68. Mr. Leighton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the principal differences between year two and year one of the youth training scheme.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The usual pattern is likely to be broad-based foundation training in the first year, followed by more specific vocational training in the second.

72. Mr. Sheerman

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning the proposed two-year youth training scheme.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) earlier today.

Mr. Alton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what factors he attributes the increase in the latest figures for drop-outs from the youth training scheme, and for those who, having completed the scheme, return to unemployment.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Results from the Manpower Services Commission's regular monthly survey of young people who have left the youth training scheme are in the Library. The latest results, for leavers in October 1984, indicate that a higher proportion of the sample left the scheme early, and show a fall in the percentage in jobs, compared with the figures for July-September 1984.

However, as the following figures show, this does not indicate an underlying increase in the proportion of young people who leave the scheme early:

1984	Numbers in training at month end	Number of early leavers in month	Early leavers as per cent. of in training
	(000's)	(000's)
June	249.9	6.3	3
July	283.2	5.4	2
August	292.0	7.0	2
September	310.5	7.4	2
October	316.1	7.5	2
November	311.7	8.2	3
December	301.9	3.6	1

As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member on 21 June, at column 230, the decrease in the proportion in work shown in the survey of October 1984 leavers, compared with results of surveys for previous months, reflects partly the seasonal reduction in the recruitment activity of employers and partly the lower number of those who left the youth training scheme in that month.

A much more comprehensive picture is provided by the survey of those leaving the scheme between July and September 1984, the peak leaving period, which shows that some 60 per cent. went into employment and about two thirds went into work or full-time education or training.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many youth training scheme leavers go on to further formal work-based training provided by employers in each region and in each industry.

Mr. Peter Morrison

This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the effectiveness of the youth training scheme is being measured on a national basis.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.