asked the Secretary of State for Employment what net increase there has been in the number of young people on the youth opportunities programme since December 1981.

At the end of December 1981 there were about 195,000 young people participating in youth opportunities programme schemes. At the end of April there were about 180,000. This is a decrease of about 8 per cent. and it reflects seasonal fluctuations in recruitment and varying length of stay in different elements of the programme.The number of young people who have entered the programme since December 1981 is about 150,000. During the period 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1981, there were 360,000 entrants to the programme. Last year, 1981–82, it is estimated that the number of entrants increased by 54 per cent. to 553,000.