§ 11. Brigadier-General Makinsasked the Minister of Labour what is the annual cost of trainees per head at the Ministry of Labour centres; how many soldiers are now being trained; and how are they distributed at the various centres?
§ Mr. E. BrownAs the reply contains a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. LawsonIs any considerable number of soldiers being taken for training under the Ministry of Labour?
§ Mr. BrownI think I answered that question some time last week, but if I did not, perhaps the hon. Member will put it down.
§ Following is the reply:
§ I assume that the hon. and gallant Member has in mind the non-residential Government training centres, at which 517 both civilians and serving soldiers are trained in specific trades. As the period of training in question is about 20 weeks, it is more convenient to give the cost in terms of a trainee week, rather than of a trainee year. At these centres, the net cost borne on the Vote for the Ministry is about 20s. 2d. per trainee week, on the average, for civilians in receipt of Unemployment Benefit, exclusive of any allowance for capital charges and headquarters' administration; with the addition of a sum averaging 14s. 6d. per trainee week for travelling, mid-day meals, personal expenditure, and special assistance in respect of dependants. These sums are exclusive of benefit to which men continue to be entitled while at the centres. The cost, borne on the Vote for the Ministry, of training (a) serving soldiers and (b) men in receipt of unemployment allowances at the centres is less than is indicated above because, in the former case, the cost of the soldiers' pay and allowances and of certain items (such as travelling expenses) is borne on Army Votes while, in the latter case, all allowances are met by the Unemployment Assistance Board. The number of soldiers being trained at this type of centre on 17th February was 1,535. There were 477 at Slough, 411 at Waddon, 291 at Southampton, 191 at Handsworth, 113 at Leeds and 52 at other centres.
§ 22. Mr. Dayasked the Minister of Labour the number of training centres at present established in this country administered or financially assisted by the Ministry of Labour; the capital that has been expended in the equipment of same; the annual training charges; and the number of trainees, men and women, respectively?
§ Mr. BrownParticulars of training centres for men administered by the Ministry of Labour and of the annual training charges are given in the Estimates
| Wholly Unemployed Persons on the Registers of certain Employment Exchanges at 17th January, 1938. | |||
| — | Pontypridd. | Pontyclun. | Taff's Well. |
| Total number registered as wholly unemployed | 4,808 | 460 | 382 |
| Number with claims admitted for Insurance Benefit | 674 | 143 | 110 |
| Number with applications authorised for payment of Unemployment Assistance. | 3,427 | 235 | 188 |
§ for the Ministry of Labour for 1937 (page 74 of House of Commons Paper 58—V. (subhead M)). The total cost of acquiring and equipping these centres was about £880,000. In addition, four special schemes are financially assisted by the Ministry; the provision for 1937–38 is £20,000. The training of women, for which £99,000 is provided in 1937–38 under Subhead N of the Ministry's Estimates, is conducted, in 38 centres, on behalf of the Ministry by the Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment; assistance is also given to a scheme conducted by another organisation. The training of women takes place mainly in rented premises and the capital expenditure has accordingly been comparatively small. The numbers in training at the end of January, 1938, were: men, 10,571; women, 926.
§ Mr. BrownNo, Sir. These are the figures for the centres to which the hon. Member's question applies.