Lib Dems Rethink On Youth Unemployment

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has launched proposals aimed at tackling youth unemployment, which he says could be funded by axing the VAT cut now.

With the recession hitting the younger people hardest, Mr Clegg said his party wanted to prevent school, college and university leavers from being condemned to long-term unemployment.

Lib Dems would introduce a new paid internship scheme – until the end of 2010 – with a total of 800,000 places, where young people would be able to work for up to three months with any employer, without cost to the employer.

"Each intern would be paid a new training allowance of £55 per week, with employers required to give help with CV writing and offer time off to look for a job," said Mr Clegg.

Funding would be made available for 10,000 more university places and 50,000 more college-based foundation degree places this year.

As well as fully funding adult apprenticeships to give more young people access to vocational training in the workplace and improve their skills

Lib Dems said these proposals would all be paid for immediately by scrapping the "pointless" VAT cut now rather than in January.

Mr Clegg said: "Parents used to worry about whether their children could get onto the housing ladder, now the concern has spread to whether they can even get a job.

"The Government’s shamefully inadequate response allows young people to fester on benefits for almost a year before offering real help, while the Tories are typically silent on what they would do," he said.

"Rather than allowing someone to sit at home on benefits, young people could gain invaluable experience and skills in an actual workplace."

The Lib Dem leader added: "For the cost of just two days of the pointless VAT cut, a paid internship scheme could provide hope to hundreds of thousands of young people."

(PR/GK)