§ 21. Mr. COUPERasked the Minister of Labour how many young persons from 16 to 18 years of age in Scotland are in training at unemployment training centres; and where their training centres are situated?
§ Mr. BETTERTONDuring the week ended 27th April, 1,693 boys and girls attended the 29 juvenile unemployment centres which were open in Scotland. Statistics are not available as to the age of these boys and girls, but the great majority of them are between 16 and 18. 22 of the centres are in Glasgow, 4 in Edinburgh, 2 in Greenock and 1 at Motherwell. The possibility of establishing centres in the Counties of Fife and Ayr is under active consideration by the authorities concerned, and it is hoped that the centre at Motherwell will shortly be enlarged to serve the needs of boys from other surrounding districts.
§ Mr. COUPERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the West of Scotland has been described as one of the areas most affected by unemployment, if not the area 213 with the greatest proportion of unemployment in the country; and is it not desirable that the largest possible number of these centres should be created in that area in order to meet the demand?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe question of the hon. Gentleman applies only to juvenile unemployment centres, and we have made considerable additions in this respect in this area quite recently. The question of a centre or centres for adults in Scotland is now under active consideration.
§ Mr. SKELTONIn the existing centres, is there any training for rural or agricultural employment?
§ Mr. MACLEANHow many of these trainees have been found employment by the Ministry of Labour at the termination of their training?
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs any training given in these centres to fit the trainees for migration?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThese matters do not arise on the question.