Member

However, I want to be clear about what I think, because I listened carefully to the Minister’s reply on the last group. I want mayors to be publicly responsible for driving down the level of youth unemployment in their areas. That is the target they should be set. No amount of government schemes coming out of London will drive the level of change necessary unless it is made clear that the mayors have a personal responsibility to oversee delivery, for they are the people who will be charged under this Bill with ensuring skills development, working with employers, creating employment schemes and so on. They can do so many things in their areas that we have to be clear where the responsibility lies. It is with mayors through this Bill. An understanding of that was not clear to me in the Minister’s reply to the last group.