YOUTH TRAINING ALLOWANCES

HL Deb 22 October 1990 vol 522 cc1234-6WA

Earl Russell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When allowances for the youth training scheme, including the bridging allowance, were last increased, and what has been the percentage increase in the retail price-index since that date.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment (Viscount Ullswater)

The information is shown in the table. The youth training allowances shown are the minimum levels. Government policy is to concentrate the taxpayers' subsidy on the training of young people with the general income support costs levy met, as far as possible, by their employers. The figures do not take account of the increasing proportions of trainees who are employed and receive a wage from their employer, rather than an allowance, and of the increasing proportions of trainees who are not employed but who receive supplementary payments from employers who provide part of their training.

Youth Training Allowance
	Value	Date Last Increased	Percentage Increase Retail Prices Index since this date (see note 2)
			per cent.
Youth Training Allowance—Age 16	£29.50 per week	July 1988	21.3
Youth Training Allowance—Age 17	£35 per week	April 1986 (see Note 1)	33.7
Bridging Allowance	£15 per week or £3 per day	Sept, 1988 (see Note 1)	19.8

Notes

1. These allowances have not been increased since they were introduced.

2. Based on retail prices index for September, published on 12th October.