Calls for a guarantee on jobs for anyone under 24 who has been out of work for a year or more have been made on the London Assembly.

The idea came from the Assembly’s budget chairman John Biggs, who represents east London with its chronic youth unemployment, when the Mayor’s Budget was debated at City Hall on Monday.

“A ‘jobs guarantee’ programme of 21 hours’ work experience a week on a London Living Wage would put 7,000 youngsters into employment,” he said.

“It would help prevent another ‘lost generation’ of youngsters and generate £27 million through increased National Insurance and reduce having to pay out Job Seekers’ Allowance.”

The number of youngsters under 24 who have been on the dole for more than a year is 510 in Tower Hamlets alone, 100 more than 12 months ago, while in neighbouring Newham 415 are out of work compared to 285 over the same period.