More than one in ten Sussex people in their early 20s spend their days doing nothing, according to Government figures.

The data reveals 11 per cent of Brighton and Hove people aged 20 to 24 do not have jobs, college courses or training schemes to attend.

It means they are at risk of falling into the poverty trap.

Across the county the figure is even higher, with 15 per cent in East Sussex and 12 per cent in West Sussex having nothing to do on a regular basis.

Ministers also revealed seven per cent of Brighton and Hove's 16 to 19-year-olds were not engaged in employment, education or training.

This was better than East Sussex (eight per cent) and West Sussex (nine per cent).

The figures were released by Skills Minister Ivan Lewis in a parliamentary written answer to a question by Fareham MP Mark Hoban, a Tory education frontbencher.

The Connexions careers and guidance service, set up by Labour less than four years ago, is responsible for getting young people into work or training.

But the £450 million service faces the axe under reforms to be published in the Government's Green Paper on youth.

Ministers want to overhaul the service - possibly by giving funding for training directly to schools, colleges and local authority children's trusts.

Monday March 7, 2005