HC Deb 16 July 1970 vol 803 cc1713-4
27. Mr. Gregor Mackenzie

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when he proposes to publish his proposals for increasing the number of industrial training centres in Scotland.

Mr. Dudley Smith

I have nothing to add at present to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars) on 9th July and to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) earlier today.—[Vol. 803, c. 80.]

Mr. Mackenzie

Is the Minister aware that the Answer he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Sillars) on 9th July did not tell us anything that we did not already know, namely, that the plans were those of my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mrs. Castle)? We should now like to know whether we can be assured that there will be an increase in the number of training places and, secondly, the extent of the guarantee he intends to give private firms to allow them to build up their training facilities.

Mr. Smith

The latter question is not for me, but I can assure the hon. Member that in the survey that we are making the intention is to increase retraining facilities. We are very conscious of the need for this, but it takes time to make exactly the right sort of plans to become effective.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that it serves little purpose to increase training facilities in Scotland when the trade unions in the engineering industry are able to prevent the employment in that industry of those who have been trained in Government training centres, and even to prevent the employment of those in skilled jobs who are fully trained for those jobs in the engineering industry?

Mr. Smith

Successful retraining depends on an adequate labour market and also on the willing co-operation of trade unions and employers. I very much hope that we shall get it when we announce our proposals.