asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to reform the careers service.

I have taken a close personal interest in the careers service over the last four years and I have been particularly keen to do what I can to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. For example, I have instituted a new system whereby I follow up careers service inspection reports at meetings with the individual local authorities concerned; and I intend to continue to emphasise that it is important for the service to give sound, practical and realistic help to youngsters. I remain concerned that local education authorities should seek the right sort of person as a careers officer. They should be encouraging, to a greater extent than they are, the recruitment of people who have been for several years in the industrial and commercial world, and whose experience is suited to help youngsters.