§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of deaths and reportable injuries incurred by young workers on YTS schemes for each year of the scheme since inception; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CopeThe YTS accident statistics cannot be broken down into employed and non-employed status. Studies of YTS accidents by independent researchers have, however, shown that YTS trainees are not more at risk than young people of equivalent age in employment outside the programme.
§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people aged 16 and 17 years have been unable to obtain, or to take advantage of, an offer of a youth training scheme; and how many of these have been left without benefits.
§ Mr. CopeThe guarantee of an offer of a YTS place to all 16 and 17-year-olds not in full-time education or employment means that there is now no need for young people to be unemployed. I am satisfied that the Training Agency has more than sufficient YTS places available in all parts of the country for those who apply for one.