20. Mr. Fred Evansasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what plans she has to extend Government training and retraining facilities in South Wales.
§ Mr. DellThere are now three Government training centres in South Wales and a fourth is to be opened in West Monmouthshire by the end of 1970; and with effect from 1st September, 1969, new and expanding firms in the Cardiff area and part of Monmouthshire, which is shortly to be designated an intermediate area, have become eligible to receive the full range of my Department's training grants and other forms of training assistance available in the rest of South Wales.
Mr. EvansI thank my hon. Friend for that encouraging answer. Is he aware that, in an area like South Wales, where there has been an incidence of pit closures, with further closures threatened, and the consequent denial of traditional forms of employment for young people, the acceleration of training places and the maximising of the range of skills taught is now a matter of desperate urgency?
§ Mr. DellI entirely agree with my hon. Friend. This is why the Government have placed so much emphasis on industrial training and retaining.