To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the application of the Government's policy on age discrimination in respect of the training and enterprise council operating agreement with regard to priority for training for work for particular age groups. [5397]

No one has priority for entry to training for work solely on the grounds of age. Priority for entry to training for work is given to people who are regarded as being seriously disadvantaged in the labour market. This includes 18 to 24-year-olds who have been unemployed for two years or more. Priority comes into effect only when there is a waiting list for entry. It is unlikely that this has occurred in practice.