HC Deb 17 November 1987 vol 122 cc508-9W
19. Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people have refused a place on YTS, or left the scheme early, since 1983.

Mr. Nicholls

The Manpower Services Commission estimates that there are between 20,000 and 30,000 unemployed 16-year-olds who do not participate in YTS. The number of young people who leave the YTS programme early has averaged around 20,000 in each year since 1984 and the latest surveys show some 69 per cent. of these early leavers were in work, further education or training three months after leaving.

24. Mr. Carrington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of two-year YTS.

Mr. Nicholls

At the end of September 1987, there were some 428,000 young people receiving high quality training on YTS schemes, the highest figure ever for the programme. The latest information on those young people leaving YTS between April 1986 and May 1987 shows that 74 per cent. were going into work or further education and training.

74. Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many youth training schemes there are currently within the travel trades.

Mr. Cope

There are some 2,000 young people in training on YTS in the travel industry under schemes operated by the Association of British Travel Agents and some individual tour operators. This figure is likely to understate the total number of young people training within the travel trades, but information is not held in such a way that all travel trade schemes can be readily identified.

In addition, the MSC estimates that there are some 16,000 contracted YTS places in tourism-related industries (including the hotel and catering industry).

87. Miss Emma Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of youth training scheme trainees in Devon who obtained jobs during or at the end of this period on the scheme.

Mr. Cope

The Manpower Services Commission conducts regular follow-up surveys of all YTS leavers. The latest results cover leavers from YTS during the period April 1986 and May 1987 and show that in Devon 71 per cent. were in jobs at the time of the surveys.