Youth Training Scheme

HC Deb 08 March 1985 vol 74 cc617-8W

Ms. Clare Short

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an estimate for the increased take-up of youth training scheme places when young workers scheme places became restricted to 17-year-olds.

Mr. Peter Morrison

At the beginning of 1984, it was expected that there might be between 15,000 and 35,000 additional entrants to the youth training scheme in 1984–85 as a result of the changes in the eligibility conditions of the young workers scheme.

However, it is difficult to estimate what the effects of the changes in the rules have actually been, because many factors affect the number of entrants to the youth training scheme, and it is not possible to identify separately the contribution made by the changes in the eligibility conditions of the young workers scheme.

Mr. Hayward

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for the youth training scheme in 1985–86.

Mr. Tom King

The Manpower Services Commission has submitted to me its recommendations for the scale and balance of provision for the youth training scheme in 1985–86 and the level of the grants and allowances.

I have approved the commission's recommendation that the youth training scheme in 1985–86 should be a programme of 379,000 places, comprising 297,000 mode A, 68,000 mode B1 and 14,000 mode B2 places. This should provide sufficient places for all eligible young people who are likely to come forward.

As regards grants to mode A managing agents, I have approved the commission's recommendations that the managing agent's fee should be increased from £100 to £110 per place from 1 April and that the contribution to training costs should be increased from £637.50 to £660 from 1 September. I have also approved the commission's recommendations for increases in the mode B grants in line with the mode A increases.

I have not yet made any decision on the level of the trainee allowance, which was increased to £26.25 per week in September 1984, but I have informed the commission that any increase in the allowance will result in a corresponding increase in the mode A block grant.