§ Lord Brockwayasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the report of the West Midlands Low Pay Unit which provides evidence that the Youth Training Scheme has undermined legal rates of pay and helped provide a source of cheap labour.
§ The Minister without Portfolio (Lord Young of Graffham)The prime puropse of the Youth Training Scheme is to provide quality training to help create a competitive economy. As the scheme is also helping to reduce young people's earnings to more realistic levels, this should improve their job prospects and is therefore to be welcomed. The West Midlands Low Pay Unit's report provides no evidence that the Youth Training Scheme has undermined the statutory minimum rates set by wages councils.