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Question Time
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Transport
General Questions
Young People
To ask the Scottish
Executive what its latest estimate is of the number of 16 to
19-year-olds who are not in education, training or employment. (S2O-7034)
Alex Neil
(Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its latest
estimate is of the number of 16 to 19-year-olds who are not in education,
training or employment. (S2O-7034)
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Allan Wilson):
Based on the "Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey 2003/04", the Scottish
Executive estimates that 35,000 young people aged 16 to 19 are not in
education, employment or training.
Alex Neil: I point out that that represents 13 per cent of all 16 to
19-year-olds in Scotland and that that is higher than the figure in 1999,
when the Executive came to power. When will the minister do something about
the problem and get those young people into education, training or
employment?
Allan Wilson: I know that the member has some prowess in the field of
economic development, but he obviously has very little in the field of
statistics. As he knows, we have virtually eliminated youth unemployment.
Worklessness is a
different matter altogether. For a substantial proportion of that estimated
number of young people, no intervention is either necessary or desirable.
For another sizeable number — probably 7,000 to 10,000 — employment or
training in the conventional sense is not an option, because they are sick,
disabled or looking after family or home. We have to develop completely
different approaches to reduce that number, which is why in the autumn we
will produce an employability framework that will set out our strategy for
giving opportunities to that group of people.
Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): Does the minister
recognise that the downturn in the manufacturing industry and low business
growth rates limit the opportunity of young people in my constituency of
Greenock and Inverclyde to gain access to the successful modern
apprenticeships scheme? Will he give an assurance that he will look into
that matter, with a view to improving the situation?
Allan Wilson: There are pockets of economic inopportunity throughout
Scotland that desire specific measures, which the employability framework
will target. We must ensure that the economic and employment opportunities
that are now available in many parts of Scotland are extended to those parts
of Scotland, such as Greenock and Inverclyde and my constituency in North
Ayrshire, where there is a lack of economic or employment opportunity for
young people who are actively seeking employment.
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