Training Allowances (Hansard, 13 December 1993)

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) 16-year-olds and (b) 17-year-olds in (i) Dundee and (ii) Scotland were in receipt of a bridging allowance at the latest available date and on that corresponding date in each of the previous five years.

Mr. Michael Forsyt
h: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. John McAllion, dated 13 December 1993. The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about bridging allowance. The information you have requested, taking 16 year olds and 17 year olds together, is provided in the attached table. Unfortunately, a breakdown by age is not available, nor is the November 1988 figure for Dundee. 512W Bridging Allowance can be paid to young people as long as they are registered at a Careers Office for Youth Training (YT) and have left or lost a job or YT place. It is a short-term allowance paid for up to 40 days in any 52 week period while a young person finds another job or YT place. I hope this is helpful.

Numbers in receipt of Bridging Allowance in Dundee and Scotland November 1988—November 1993

November Dundee Scotland

1988 — 2,102

1989 37 1,157

1990 54 1,349

1991 34 1,099

1992 34 957

1993 17 553

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the training allowance paid to(a) 16-year-olds and (b) 17-year-olds on YTS and YT schemes in each of the past five years; and what the current allowance would be if it had been uprated in line with inflation over those five years.

§ Miss Widdecombe
The training allowances over each of the last five years have been £29.50 per week for 16-year-olds and £35 per week for 17-year-olds. The value of these allowance if they had been uprated in line with inflation is shown in the table:

Allowance levels

Year 16-year-old £ 17-year-old £

1989–90 29.50 35.00

1990–91 31.88 37.82

1991–92 33.90 40.22

1992–93 35.20 41.76

1993–94 36.34 43.12

Numbers in receipt of Bridging Allowance in Dundee and Scotland November 1988—November 1993
November	Dundee	Scotland
1988	—	2,102
1989	37	1,157
1990	54	1,349
1991	34	1,099
1992	34	957
1993	17	553

	Allowance levels
Year	16-year-old £	17-year-old £
1989–90	29.50	35.00
1990–91	31.88	37.82
1991–92	33.90	40.22
1992–93	35.20	41.76
1993–94	36.34	43.12