HC Deb 06 April 1944 vol 398 cc2145-7
2. Mr. Jewson

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now able to make a statement as to the arrangements he intends making for demobilisation.

Mr. McCorquodale

No, Sir. Not at present.

Mr. Jewson

Could the hon. Gentleman say when it would be appropriate to repeat this Question.

Mr. McCorquodale

I am afraid not. I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

3. Mr. Walter Edwards

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements the Government are making as part of their post-war resettlement plans for the industrial training of men and women demobilised from the Services or from war work.

Mr. MeCorquodale

The Government have given consideration to this matter and have devised plans for providing training after the war for those whose careers have been interrupted by war service. I will, if I may, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed Statement of the Government's proposal.

Following is the statement:

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING OF NON-DISABLED MEN AND WOMEN

As part of the resettlement scheme and as a means of furthering the supply of skilled workers in industry to meet abnormal deficiencies in the post-war period, industrial training will be introduced to assist men and women released from war service who are in need of a course of training to enable them to obtain employment of a kind likely to lead to permanent resettlement, having regard to their capacity and to the estimated probable needs of industry. In order to provide opportunities for those who are the last to be released from the Forces, the training scheme will be continued until the end of the demobilisation of persons who have served during the period of hostilities. The scheme will apply to men and women released from the Armed Forces, Merchant Navy, Civil Defence Services, National Fire Service, Police Auxiliaries and Civil Nursing Reserve and to persons whose war service has been on other types of work of national importance including industrial work. In administration of the scheme special care will be taken to ensure that men and women who have served in the Armed Forces and are eligible for training under the scheme receive their training as early as possible after release from the colours, and, if at any time the facilities for training are insufficient to meet the needs of all applicants without delay, men and women released from the Forces or from the Merchant Navy will, in general, be admitted first.

For those within the scope of the scheme the broad conditions of eligibility will be:

  1. (1) that a period of full-time service in work of national importance has been served during the war;
  2. (2) that by reason of such service the person concerned has either:
    1. (a) been unable to start or complete training for a skilled occupation, or
    2. (b) suffered interruption in the following of his occupation;
  3. (3) that he is in need of a course of training to enable him to obtain employment of a satisfactory kind having regard to his general capacity.

The training will be given in Government Training Centres administered direct by the Ministry of Labour and National Service and also, under arrangements made by the Ministry, in consultation with the Board of Education and the Scottish Education Department, in Technical Colleges, or in other educational institutions. During training adequate allowances, including supplementary allowances in respect of dependants, will be paid. The allowances will be the same irrespective of the trade for which the individual is being trained. Arrangements will also be made where appropriate for training in employers' establishments under suitable financial arrangements. Training in agricultural occupations will be provided by the Departments of Agriculture.

The detailed application of the training scheme to the different industries will be worked out in full consultation with the representative organisations of employers and workpeople concerned. The Government's proposals for training adults for the building and civil engineering industries after the war have already been announced (Cmd. Paper 6428) and the details are under discussion with representatives of the industries. The educational and vocational training given inside the Services will, as far as possible, be co-ordinated with the training to be given, after release from the Forces, under the scheme set out above.