More than one in seven young people in Birmingham has no job, and no training scheme or college course to attend.

The new figures from the Department for Education and Skills revealed the scale of the challenge facing Government as it attempts to improve Britain's skill base.

Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday set a target for Labour's third term in office of ensuring no teenager was unemployed.

However, 16 per cent of teenagers aged 16 to 19 are currently not in employment, education or training, according to figures released to the House of Commons. It means more than 9,300 young people in Birmingham are doing nothing in terms of work or education.

In Sandwell, 17 per cent are in the same position and in Coventry the figure is 13 per cent. Even in more affluent areas, a significant minority of young people are doing nothing. In Solihull, ten per cent are without a job, education or training.

Last night Conservative front-bencher Caroline Spelman (Con Meriden), whose constituency is included in the Solihull education authority, said: "Ten per cent of the population is very serious.

"We should be deeply worried about youngsters who are not involved in any constructive activity, whether that is earning a living or learning something which will help them earn a living."

She criticised the Government's New Deal scheme, which is designed to help young people into work by providing them with appropriate training.

"It's not good enough to tick a box and say you have got them something - they still need to be in work a year later."

But Labour MP Liam Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill) said: "If you look at the country as a whole, youth unemployment is at one of its lowest levels for 30 years.

"The New Deal has been essential in making that happen. But what we have to look at is how we increase employment and training opportunities among those the New Deal has not yet helped."

Ensuring young people are in work or training is the responsibility of the Connexions careers and guidance service, set up by Labour less than four years ago. But the £450 million service faces the axe in its current form under reforms to be published next month.