Their number is growing

We are constantly reminded of those who suffer during this recession, - the unemployed, house owners, those dependent on their savings, etc.

We tend not to think about the NEETS. Their plight is bad and could have repercussions for years to come. NEETS are young people in the age range 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training. Their number could each one million this summer, - the highest level since records began. Among them "white" teenagers and adults are 20% more likely to be in this category than their black or Asian counterparts, largely because of a failed education system.

The number is rising because many have lost their jobs through the recession, and there are fewer job vacancies, but this year there will be about 60,000 who applied for university but were not accepted because there were limits on numbers imposed by the government.

In the first quarter of 2008 there were 810,000 NEETS, by the first quarter of 2009 this had risen to 935,000, and school leavers and failed university applicants are likely to push the figure above one million.

The government is working hard to create 100,000 jobs and apprenticeships, but this is unlikely to make much of a dent on the problem

We shall have a large pool of young, fit and energetic people with nothing to occupy their time. It is not difficult to see some of them slipping into some sort of antisocial behaviour or other crime.

It is bad enough that these resources are not used, and that the young people will lack money in their pockets. What is worse is that missed educational and training opportunities could set career plans back some years. With talk of 50% of all A level students going to university, and now capping the numbers, the government has misled and deceived students.

The recession has been with us about five quarters, and some are predicting that there will be no significant recovery for another four, and then only a slow recovery at best. If there are to be any spending areas fully or partially protected from spending cuts in the future, then this dreadful waste of young talent must be a priority.