HC Deb 27 February 1990 vol 168 cc135-6W
Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment at constant 1989–90 prices if he will give the spending on YTS and employment training for the past five years and the projected spending over the next three years.

Mr. Nicholls

The expenditure on YTS and employment training by the Employment Department Group Training Agency (and its predecessors, the Training Commission and the Manpower Services Commission) is as follows:

YTS (£ million) Employment Training (£ million)
1985–86 1,011.1 —
1986–87 1,041.0 —
1987–88 1,137.7 —
1988–89 1,063.4 454.8
1989–90 983.0 1,112.0
1990–91 836.0 1,151.9
1991–92 716.2 1,085.6
1992–93 654.5 1,071.8

The figures shown are at constant (estimated) 1989–90 prices and were calculated by use of the GDP deflator index shown in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.

Youth training scheme figures exclude community industry (included under the heading "Youth Training" in the public expenditure White Paper), evaluation, research and development, and marketing.

Planned expenditure on YTS reflects a substantial decline in the number of 16 and 17-year-old entrants to the labour force. Also, youth training, which will replace YTS from 29 May and be increasingly delivered by training and enterprise councils, incorporates funding flexibilities to encourage a higher level of employer contributions towards training costs than has been the case under YTS.

Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints about the level of training have been received by training managers over the past year in respect of(a) YTS and (b) employment training.

Mr. Nicholls

This information is not available.

Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many placements on(a) YTS and (b) employment training have been terminated as a result of dissatisfaction on the part of the Training Agency with the training provided in respect of the past year.

Mr. Nicholls

This information is available only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to conduct a survey of trainee satisfaction in respect of either YTS or employment training.

Mr. Nicholls

Existing surveys of trainees who leave either YTS or employment training cover this aspect of evaluation.