HC Deb 20 February 1990 vol 167 c647W
Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the differences between YTS and youth training which will replace it.

Mr. Nicholls

The youth training arrangements build upon the successes of YTS and incorporate major new flexibilities designed to meet a wide range of local needs both economic and individual.

The key differences are:

  1. (a) an emphasis on outputs rather than training processes.
  2. (b) flexible design of individual schemes to achieve outputs instead of a fixed national design structure.
  3. (c) the two year and one year entitlements of YTS give way to programmes of varying duration suitable for particular types of courses and the types of trainee need involved.
  4. (d) the promise of courses at a standard of at least level 2 as laid down by the National Council of Vocational Qualifications or at equivalent occupational training or educational standards. In addition, more purchase of training at levels 3 and 4.
  5. (e) allowances for unemployed trainees based upon age rather than cumulative time in training.
  6. (f) improved assessment and endorsement procedures for special training needs.
  7. (g) enhanced training opportunities to help unemployed trainees nearing the end of training to secure jobs.
  8. (h) extension of the guarantee to include certain groups whose entry into training has been unavoidably delayed.
  9. (i) more scope for discretionary entry for people not covered by the guarantee.
  10. (j) greater financial discretion to use YT funds to build up local training arrangements, improve local marketing, and to give specific support for individual young people on assessment, action plans and similar matters.