LABOUR
The Labour manifesto includes the guarantee of a sixth-form place, apprenticeship or further education at 16, more "dedicated provision for disruptive and excluded pupils, including by charities and voluntary groups with expertise in this area" and "tackling conditions - from lack of youth provision to irresponsible drinking - that foster crime and antisocial behaviour".
It also includes an increase, by at least a half, of programmes targeted at young people most at risk of offending and expansion of drug treatment services for young people.
It offers "a better alternative for young people": "We know that parents and young people think that there should be more things to do and places to go for teenagers. We will publish plans to reform provision in order to ensure that all young people have access to a wider set of activities after the school day such as sport and the arts. We are determined that better provision will be allied to a stronger voice for the young themselves in designing and managing local provision. We will establish the first national framework for youth volunteering, action and engagement - a modern national youth community service, led by young people themselves - with an investment over the next three years of up to 100m with matched funding from business, the voluntary sector and the Lottery."
For further details, visit the web site at www.labour.org.uk/manifesto.
CONSERVATIVES
The Conservative manifesto includes a "new network of clubs for older children" and greater stress on discipline in schools, with "turnaround schools" for "difficult" pupils.
There will be a public health TV campaign to educate young people about sexually transmitted infections and a choice between treatment and appearing in court for young users of hard drugs, with support for the "social institutions - families, schools, voluntary bodies and youth clubs - that can prevent drug dependency".
Get the manifesto at www.conservatives.com/pdf/manifesto-uk-2005.pdf.
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
The Liberal Democrat party is the only one of the three main parties to have published a specific mini-manifesto for young people.
It outlines its policies under the three headings of "Entering the world of work", "Freedom from social exclusion" and "Giving young people a voice".
The party's policies include reforming the New Deal to get more young people into work; abolishing university tuition fees; making housing affordable; making young people feel safer in their communities and helping rehabilitate those who've offended; tackling antisocial behaviour effectively and without creating a negative image of all young people; encouraging the use of acceptable behaviour contracts; tackling the root causes of ill health; allowing people to vote and stand for office at 16; and promoting active citizenship and youth councils.
To find out more, visit the web site at www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/policies/youthsmallpdf.pdf. For the full manifesto, visit www.libdems.org.uk/party/policy/manifesto.html.
- A link to all published UK manifestos can be found under the Election 2005 section of the BBC web site at www.bbc.co.uk.
