asked the Paymaster General when, and to what level, he intends to raise the allowance paid to trainees on the youth training scheme.

The allowance for trainees on the youth training scheme was increased on 1 September this year to £27·30 per week, and this will be the rate for first year trainees after the introduction of our new two-year scheme in April next year; the allowance for trainees in their second year will be £35 per week.