HC Deb 06 March 1989 vol 148 cc448-9W
36. Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's spending plan on support for young people outlined in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1989–92" White Paper, Cm 615.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Young people who have left school and are under 18 do not normally have title to social security benefits in their own right. As the White Paper explains in paragraph 38, income support was withdrawn from this age group in September 1988, except for certain restricted categories. These include young people unable to take up a place on a youth training scheme (for example, lone parents) or, for a short period, young people not working, but seeking a youth training scheme place, who either have no home, or are unable to live there, or who would unavoidably be in severe hardship if income support were not paid. We expect the benefit expenditure on these groups to be quite small.