Rt. Hon. ED BALLS MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, visited Prospect School in Reading on Thursday 4th February 2010.

He visited Prospect School’s new £3.5 million vocational centre to hear about the fall in numbers of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) in Reading over the last year. Highlighting the Government’s guarantee to provide a place in education, employment or training to every 16-year-old.

Ed Balls was joined by Naz Sarkar, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Reading West, Anneliese Dodds, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Reading East and Jo Lovelock, Leader of Reading Borough Council.

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said:

“Prospect School’s vocational courses and new building are an example of how the Government has invested in young people. It was right to invest in young people through the recession. Our guarantee to offer 16 year olds a place in education or training has worked in Reading. It is great news that the NEET figures have reduced from just under 10% to 6.3% over this past year in the town.

“We need to continue supporting the economy to strengthen the recovery and promote growth and jobs. The Tories refused to match our school leavers guarantee. But we refused to abandon a generation of young people like the Tories did in the last recession.”

Naz Sarkar, Labour parliamentary candidate for Reading West, said:

“It was great to welcome Ed Balls to Reading West today. He saw first hand how Labour locally are working together with the community to secure jobs and training for Reading’s young people.

“Prospect is a fantastic school. The specialist vocational building offers Reading’s young people the opportunity to get the skills and qualifications they need to get on in life and get a good job.

“A huge amount of work has been done in Reading to deliver the guarantee for young people and I hope Ed’s visit has kept the government’s focus on jobs and employment. Labour government investment through the recession means that Reading’s unemployment figure is currently nearly half that of the last recession under the Tories.”