Rights For 16 And 17 Year Olds

EDM number 25 in 1992-93, proposed by Harry Barnes on 07/05/1992.

That this House is appalled that thousands of 16 and 17 year olds a week are suffering intolerable hardship because of the Government's failure to guarantee a training place for all under 18s, the lack of adequate employment opportunities and the confiscation of their rights to income support; condemns the lengthy and bureaucratic process whereby some 16 and 17 year olds seek to secure severe hardship payments; welcomes the call by the Social Security Advisory Committee to remove the ban on income support for this group; accepts the view of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux that 'the failure of the policy of a guaranteed youth training place, combined with harsh benefit rules, is leaving young people vulnerable to destitution'; and calls on the Government to support a debate in this House on this issue and to take urgent action to remedy this scandal.

This motion has been signed by a total of 99 MPs.