§ Mr. Allen McKayTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many 16 year and 17-year-old persons who are not in education chose to remain on social security rather than take up work or accept a training place in the last year.
§ Mr. PortilloThe information is not available in the form requested, but in August 1987 there were more than 54,000 school leavers in the claimant count, excluding this year's summer leavers. A school leaver for this purpose is a person under 18 who has not entered employment since terminating education. It is not known how many of these have been offered jobs or youth training scheme places, but it is known that there are enough YTS places available for anyone who wants one.