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6,000 living the TV Vicky Pollard life
Reporter: by Our Lobby Correspondent
Date online: 29 July 2010
Almost one in four young people in Oldham are living a Vicky Pollard lifestyle, according to Government.
Official figures show there are 6,000 youngsters aged 16 to 24 dubbed by Government as NEETs —not in employment, education or training across the borough.
Based on percentage it makes Oldham the joint ninth worst area across England. NEETS are often seen as being typified by the teenage delinquent Vicky Pollard in hit TV comedy “Little Britain”, although many could be between jobs, on gap years or young mothers looking after children.
The Office of National Statistics say there is a six per cent either way margin of error on the figures.
Oldham’s MPs criticised the new coalition Government for scrapping Labour’s Jobs Guarantee — which promised anyone under 25 out of work for more than six months would be given training or work.
Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas said: “Despite the caution from the ONS that we should not take these figures as being accurate they are nevertheless very worrying.
“The abolition of the jobs guarantee for youngsters makes them startling.”
Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher said: “I will be pursuing this with the Job Centre and finding out why our percentage is so high. The coalition Government abolishing the job guarantee for young people will not help. It is counterproductive as the fund was not about a subsidy it was about getting people into work.
“The last thing we want is another generation of young people out of work. Most people who have spent some time unemployed tend to have a jaundiced view of the labour market and they get depressed. The coalition’s decision to scrap the scheme is irresponsible and criminal.”
By 2015 it will be compulsory for everyone to stay in some form of education or training until they are 18 in a move by the previous Labour Government to tackle the problem of young people leaving without qualifications or workplace skills.
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “We are committed to tackling youth unemployment and our new Work Programme will give everyone including young people the proper support and training to help them into work, whatever barriers they face.
“We have invested £150 million in 50,000 new apprenticeship places to provide long-term career opportunities for young people.”
Each NEET is estimated to cost taxpayers an average of £97,000, including benefits, lost tax revenue, the extra cost of health and medical services, and the costs of criminal activity, but the worst cases can swallow up more than £300,000 each.
Comments
Only one in four? More like three in four and this council is wingeing about play parks. Ninth worst area in the whole country - says it all really. Amazing that a long serving MP is wondering why this is? Does he walk around with his eyes and ears closed.
Was it not MacMillan (Tory PM in the 50's) who commenced the move away from a manufacturing economy to a service one and since then industry has moved slowly and steadily to the Middle East and now China. But we are now losing service jobs as well! So Parliament and their trade negotiators are responsible for lack of jobs at present. Capitalism rules unfortunately until it goes wrong then the public sector and the taxpayers bail them out!
It's amazing that the majority of MPs are only just cottoning on that we have a bottom tier of society who don't want work, will never get work and will never see work in their lifetimes. Where have they been for so long -oh yes, in the place where no one works! Silly of me, really, I should know better!!
Get it right - "Does he walk around with his eyes and ears closed." Doesn't need to does he? This champagne socialist with the property portfolio doesn't live in Oldham. I believe he still lives in London in a house worth approx £800K.
Some amazing uninformed comments on this!
Get it right, the figures are government gathered statistics please would you tell us how you know that they are wrong by a factor of 300% and cite your sources?
AC Manufacturing moved to the Middle East? Saudi Arabia? Iran? Surely you mean the Far East?
I remember a pledge by Phil Woolas that Civil service jobs would come to Oldham, which would have helped with unemployment, yet another broken promise.
If the MP's are whingeing about unemployed youngsters, why do they have an open door policy for foreign workers.
Either our own people do not want to work or the politians are being duplicitous.
I'm surprised its as low as 1-in-4. Judging by the number of miserable looking youngsters I see slouching their way around the town I would have thought the figure was higher.
It is a disater that so many of our work-force (of all ages) is unemployed. This is certainly not the fault of the 'new' Government, but I am amazed that they are still allowing economic immigration on a massive scale. Surely we ought to get our own people working first?
Have Your Say
what utter cheek from woolas and meacher! they are blaming the new hybid government for this!
13 years of their labour government have created the vicky pollards we see all around our streets today! they encouraged having kids to be financially attractive to young women!
they've had 13 years to sort this! why now is it so important to start looking at it? its too late now!
By fedupoldhamer @ 29/07/2010 11:49:16