HC Deb 24 October 1966 vol 734 cc641-2
52. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Minister of Labour what plans he has for a rapid expansion of training and retraining facilities for workers made redundant over the next 12 months, especially in regions like Scotland.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

Government training centres are already expanding rapidly. By the end of next year there will be 38 centres, including eight in Scotland. Past experience of redundancies indicates that comparatively few of the workers affected are likely to want and to be suitable for this type of training. We are having discussions with the training boards about assisting through their machinery the retraining of workers in industry.

Mr. Hamilton

Does not the first part of that reply mean that one of the reasons why the Government are not extending the provision of these facilities is that there is no great demand for them? Is my hon. Friend aware that there is a widespread feeling in Scotland that the present training facilities for about 2,000 individuals are grossly inadequate in view of the numbers unemployed and crying out for retraining? Will she reconsider the position urgently?

Mrs. Williams

I would not like my hon. Friend to think that that was the conclusion to draw from my reply. The number of training centres in Scotland has leaped from one in 1963 to eight in 1966. That does not mean that the Government do not appreciate that much more needs to be done.