LABOUR’S MP for Hyndburn, Graham Jones, said the Tories are “letting youngsters in Hyndburn down”.

He said the latest figures for 17-year-olds not in education or training (NEET) is “shocking”.

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Labour said 125 are NEET, 391 are unknown, while around 400 dropped out of their training or education.

Mr Jones said: “The latest figures for Hyndburn are shocking. Too many youngsters are being left on the scrap heap. Up to 516 officially.

“There is no recording of drop outs or those whose attendance has fallen away.”

Mr Jones said training providers were being denied names and addresses of those youngsters and “as such, they are unable to engage directly with those young people and offer them an opportunity”.

He said: “It may be the case that many unknowns are in some form of education of training or that the number of drop outs is much lower, but without a commitment from the government to helping young people starting with collecting the right information we won’t know.”