HC Deb 21 October 1971 vol 823 c890
32. Mr. Alexander Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment where the new engineering apprentice training centre establishment is being sited in Hamilton; how many student places will be provided; when the centre will be fully operational; and what is the estimated cost.

The Minister of State, Department of Employment (Mr. Paul Bryan)

The training centre is at Bothwell Road, Hamilton. It became operational in October, 1970, with 75 training places. The centre was built and equipped for the Hamilton and District Engineering Training Group by the Engineering Industry Training Board at a cost of £150,000, half of which was met by a grant from the Department.

Mr. Wilson

I thank the Minister for that reply. On the basis of the assessment for the building of this retraining centre, is he now considering, in view of the Government's "pie-in-the-sky" expansion programme, extending the retraining programme in Lanarkshire in view of the huge unemployment in the area?

Mr. Bryan

At this training centre, as I said, there are 75 training places, but it is possible to extend them to another 50 places. At the moment it appears that we have not got the demand for those 50 places. If the hon. Gentleman thinks that we have, and has grounds for thinking so, I shall be very pleased to discuss this matter with him personally.