§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to encourage local careers services to contact school leavers who are believed not to have obtained a YTS place or a job since leaving school to contact the careers service for advice; and what action he is taking to make known to the public, including school leavers, the availability of hardship payments.
§ Mr. CopeLocal education authorities are under a statutory duty to observe the Secretary of State's guidance which advises them to take all reasonable steps to help young people find suitable employment or training. Local arrangements to implement this guidance are the responsibility of each local education authority.
One million copies of a temporary supplement to the Department of Social Security's leaflet "Young persons guide to Social Security" were distributed in May and contained advice about the severe hardship provision. The main leaflet, reprinted in October, contains the same information. Additionally, each young person who was likely to cease to be entitled to income support from 12 September was sent a copy of the supplement with the letter telling them that they would no longer be entitled in the normal way. A Department of Social Security press release giving full details was issued on 30 September.