§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the obstacles which reduce the likelihood of young people aged 16 and 17 years who are currently classified as(a) ILO unemployed or (b) economically inactive and not currently in full-time education taking up one of the opportunities available to them under Government programmes (i) in general and (ii) in respect of each category of opportunity and each category of young people.
§ Mr. RedwoodAll school leavers who do not go into further education or employment are eligible to register with the careers service for vocational training under the youth guarantee. I am not aware of any obstacles which prevent young people from registering, although it is evident that not all do so.
The careers service is to receive additional resources in 1995–96 to strengthen careers guidance from age 13 and I very much hope that this will have a significant effect in reducing the numbers of school leavers who fail subsequently to register for vocational training.
My Department is also helping to sponsor seven projects in Wales which are being run by the training and 855W enterprise councils, in conjunction with voluntary bodies and other organisations, to identify such young people and to develop different ways of promoting their interest in further education, training or employment. Details of these projects will be announced shortly.