To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken pursuant to the conclusions of the March 2007 European Council on the further development of policies to promote the role of young people during their transition from school to working life. (181037)

I have been asked to reply.

The conclusions of the March 2007 European Council are consistent with the considerable work we are doing domestically to help young people with their transition from school to working life and prepare them to succeed in work and to make a productive contribution to society.

Some of the key measures we are taking forward domestically are: a new set of employer-designed diplomas, providing a platform to acquire all the skills needed for successful employment, the Personal, Social and Health Education framework giving teachers a coherent structure within which to develop children’s social and moral development and integrated information, advice and guidance and access to personal development opportunities for all 13 to 19-year-olds to help remove barriers to learning and progression and ensure that young people make a smooth transition to adulthood and working life.