46. Mr. Ted Fletcherasked the Minister of Labour how many places were available for training and retraining at the training centres in the north-east 30 development districts during the year ended 31st March.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mrs. Shirley Williams)I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cleveland (Mr. Tinn) on 25th April, 1966.
Mr. FletcherDoes my hon. Friend think that the number of places in training centres is adequate, in view of the contraction in the coal-mining industry, which is likely to be accelerated with the discovery of gas in the North Sea?
§ Mrs. WilliamsMy Ministry is aware of the importance of the problem raised by my hon. Friend. By the end of next year, the new training centre at Killingworth will be opened and will provide some 200 additional places. In addition, other centres in the North-East will be enlarged. As a result, my right hon. Friend hopes to be producing 1,600 skilled men from Government training centres in the North-East by the end of next year.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs my hon. Friend aware that her right hon. Friend told me some time ago that he was quite content with the number of training and retraining centres? Will she be good enough to inform him that I have said this afternoon that I am not satisfied?
§ Mrs. WilliamsI know that my right hon. Friend will take his right hon. Friend's remarks very much into account, but the expansion is going forward, and my Department would like to see what effect this has on the position in the North-East.