Mr. Paul Carroll:

There will be a range of other interventions. Nevertheless, the Chairman is quite right. The internship scheme will close to new entrants tomorrow. We decided not to allow that scheme to continue, despite its success and bearing in mind that issues were raised, because the new scheme will be fundamentally different. It will last for a shorter period. Participants will work for 30 hours, which is a shorter period of time. The most significant difference is that employers will be required to make a contribution. Difficulties could arise if the new scheme was to start on 1 June 2017, for example, and the other scheme were to be allowed to run up to that date. For example, a host organisation that signed up on the basis of one scheme might have to participate in a fundamentally changed scheme the following week. At present, employers do not make contributions, interns are required to work up to 40 hours a week and schemes last nine months. If the new scheme were to be initiated as soon as the old scheme concludes, people starting a week apart would operate under completely different terms. I accept the Chairman's point about the short window during which we will finalise the scheme. Although an internship scheme will not be open to people, a range of other opportunities will be available.