asked the Minister for Labour the method adopted for the distribution of funds from the Youth Employment Levy; the agencies which received funds from the levy in 1983 and 1984; the amount of such aid in each case; the number of training places for the current year; and for the last year prior to the imposition of the Youth Employment Levy.
Written Answers. - Youth Employment Levy.
733.
Subsequent to consultations with the various sponsors of levy funded schemes on their projected funding requirements for the following year, the Youth Employment Agency makes proposals to the Minister for Labour on the distribution of the proceeds of the Youth Employment Levy. After consideration of these proposals the Minister for Labour formulates his recommendations for Government and final decisions on the distribution of the levy proceeds are then made by the Government in the context of the annual estimates.
A statement indicating levy proceeds issued in 1983 and allocated for 1984 in respect of the various agencies is set out hereunder:
|
1983 £ million issued |
1984 £ million allocated |
|
|
Youth Employment Agency |
5.685 |
12.100 |
|
AnCO (Training for persons under 25) |
32.244 |
38.284 |
|
Cert (Training for persons under 25) |
1.426 |
1.683 |
|
Department of Labour |
||
|
—Grant Scheme for Youth Employment |
2.165 |
3.000 |
|
—Work Experience Programme |
6.971 |
8.700 |
|
—Enterprise Allowance Scheme (Youth Element) |
— |
0.400 |
|
—Employment Incentive Scheme (Youth Element) |
4.309 |
— |
|
—National Manpower Service |
— |
0.233 |
|
Department of Health |
— |
0.800 |
|
Department of Environment |
— |
— |
|
—Environment Works Scheme |
8.000 |
4.000 |
|
Department of Education |
||
|
—Pre-Employment and Secretarial Courses |
14.990 |
14.800 |
|
TOTAL |
75.790 |
84.000 |
The number of training places in 1981 — the year prior to the introduction of the Youth Employment Levy was 7,514 and the estimated number in the current year is 15,000. For the purposes of the reply I have interpreted training places to mean those offered by AnCO and CERT. Training places are not differentiated between youth and non-youth.
I should point out that the best indication of the assistance provided for youth from the Youth Employment Levy is the overall participation on programmes now funded from the levy. This includes not only training but also job creation and temporary employment programmes. Participation on such youth programmes was 22,500 in 1981 and is estimated to reach 53,000 in the current year. In addition the levy is funding 11,000 young people on the Department of Education's pre-employment and secretarial courses this year.