§ 7. Mr. LESLIEasked the Minister of Labour how many training centres there are in the county of Durham and where they are situated; and whether it is his intention to set up training centres in each division in the county so as to obviate the necessity of men and women having to leave home to attend training centres in other districts?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThere are no Government training centres in Durham, the reason being that it is the policy to establish such centres in areas of good employment since experience has shown that this course is greatly to the advantage of the men in securing employment after training. Arrangements are, however, in hand for establishing two local centres in Durham (for one of which a site has been found at Spennymoor) at which men will receive preliminary training with a view to their proceeding subsequently to some other centre appropriate to their particular capacity. There is also an instructional centre at Hamsterley. There are six domestic training centres in the county 531 for women, situated at Durham, Blaydon, Stockton, Sunderland, Jarrow and South Shields.
§ Mr. LESLIEDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think it advisable to have training centres for young people so that in the event of the location of industry becoming the policy of the Government, labour will be available locally?
§ Mr. BROWNIt is with the idea of preparing the way for any movement in connection with enlarged employment that the intermediate centres have been established. One has been very successful for Merthyr, and we are hoping that that success will be repeated in Durham.