To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether training and enterprise councils are in 1991 guaranteeing every school leaver at age 16 years a suitable youth training place before Christmas.

Training and enterprise councils are contracted to meet the Government's guarantee of the offer of suitable training for all under-18s who have left school, are not in a job and who are seeking a place on youth training. The guarantee applies continuously to young people in this situation until they reach their 18th birthday. The guarantee is their top priority within youth training funds and their business plans are closely scrutinised to ensure that they have made sufficient provision to meet it.