§ 14. Mr. COVEasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons who have received training in residential centres from the Aberavon division during the past 12 months; and the number who have secured jobs for which they were trained?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am looking into the points raised by the hon. Member and will let him have a reply as soon as possible.
§ 17. Mr. DAVID GRENFELLasked the Minister of Labour the cost of maintaining trainees in centres such as that at Presteign; and whether he can give figures to show what proportion of the trainees were found employment on leaving the centre?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThe cost of training at an instructional centre is approximately 14s. 6d. per trainee per week excluding travelling expenses, capital charges and the amount of any insurance benefit or transitional payments to which the trainee is entitled. Until about a year ago, it was the policy to limit, the accommodation at these centres to the number for whom subsequent employment could reasonably be guaranteed and the percentage of placing was 80 per cent. or more. The present policy is to regard the primary object of these centres as that of counteracting the effects of long-continued unemployment, and the percentage of placing has materially fallen and is now round about 20 per cent. The hon. Member will appreciate that a maintenance of the former policy would have made it necessary to reduce drastically the numbers admitted to the centres.