§ 5. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Technology whether he will set up a training scheme for technicians on the application of computers, such as system designers and programmers.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Richard Marsh)A number of training courses in computer technology are already available, but the Department is examining with others concerned all aspects of the supply of trained computer staff, including the possible need for additional training facilities.
§ Mr. DigbyWould not the hon. Gentleman agree that it is necessary to encourage the further use of computers, that there is a shortage of these people and that some encouragement by the Government, probably indirect encouragement, is still necessary?
§ Mr. MarshI agree that the position in which we now find ourselves is such that we are faced with certain shortages in this respect. This is exactly why the Ministry of Technology was established. We have set up an informal working group in the Ministry of Technology to deal with this subject. The number of office computers installed in Britain is expected to double in the next two years from the present number of around 800. The Government recognise the difficulty and are doing something about it. If someone had done something else about it before we did, the problem would not be so bad.