§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett),Official Report, 15 May, column 51, he will list the sources, authors, publishers, methodology of assessment, scope and time scale of study of the evidence that removal of wages councils for young people has resulted in increased job opportunities.
§ Mr. Nicholls[holding answer 22 May 1989]: The information sought by the hon. Member is almost entirely irrelevant to the evidence referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 15 May.
Labour force survey data for 1986, 1987 and 1988 show an increase in the level of employment of young people 507W under 21 in the retail distribution and hotel and catering industries. There is also evidence from employers in wages council trades that they are more ready to offer young people employment. It is also relevant that during the past two years unemployment among those aged under 20 has fallen from 21 per cent. to just above 12 per cent.