asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to help the current employment prospects of school leavers in the Yorkshire Region.

Employment prospects for school leavers in Yorkshire, as elsewhere, will be helped by the additional training facilities recently announced by the Manpower Services Commission, which are expected to aid the training of some 25,000 young people in the 16–19 age group during 1975–76 and 1976–77.The main responsibility for helping school leavers to find employment rests with the careers service provided by local education authorities and, as announced by my right hon. Friend on 24th July—[Vol. 896, c. 782–3]—funds have been made available for the strengthening of these services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement about the employment prospects in Eastbourne for those who left school in July.

It is estimated that there were about 360 summer leavers and that 300 of them already have offers of employment. Prospects for the remainder seem satisfactory but a more reliable assessment will be possible when the August statistics of unemployment are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department has studied schemes in other countries for alleviating unemployment amongst new school leavers; and whether the measures adopted in West Germany could be adapted for use in this country.

In considering how to respond to the employment problems of school leavers in Great Britain, account is being taken of relevant measures adopted in other countries, including West Germany. The Government are considering the extent to which such measures would be appropriate for use in Great Britain, with due regard to social, economic and institutional differences between countries.