asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any proposals to improve and simplify the allowances payable to young people who have to leave home to obtain suitable employment or training.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has decided that from 1st February 1975, all allowances to young people in such circumstances will be provided under the Employment Transfer Scheme The benefits available under this scheme are not means-tested and were substantially improved in August last year. In future, young people who receive these benefits will also be eligible each year for assistance with the cost of four home visits so long as they are under the age of 18. In view of these improvements no new applications will be accepted under the special Training Allowances Scheme for young people, which is means-tested and has lately been little used.

PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 17 FOUND GUILTY OF INDICTABLE OFFENCES IN STOCKPORT MAGISTRATES' COURTS
Magistrates' Courts						1971	1972	1973
Stockport County Borough		…	…	…	…	106	302	321
Stockport Division	…	…	…	…	…	137	—	—
Stockport County (Cheadle)		…	…	…	…	—	108	62
Stockport County (Stockport)		…	…	…	…	—	58	79

There is no direct comparability between the figures for 1971 and those for later years because of changes in legislation.The cost of providing data on non-indictable offences, offence details and the children convicted for more than one offence would be disproportionate.The figures for 1974 are not yet available.