§ Q3. Mr. Redmondasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Departments of 745 Trade and Industry and Employment in order to implement the Government's new regional policies; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. The incentives we have introduced to stimulate the industrial regeneration of the regions are complemented by improvements in training facilities and the employment services.
§ Mr. RedmondReferring to what my right hon. Friend said to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Sir Gilbert Longden), does the Prime Minister not agree that the very success of the Government's regional and fiscal policies is creating shortages of certain types of skill in areas which yet have high unemployment? Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that even now the Government are doing enough in retraining? Is not a crash programme called for?
§ The Prime MinisterAs I said, the rate of expansion in training has been very rapid and has covered a wide variety of ways of bringing about additional training and retraining. My hon. Friend may be thinking particularly of the construction industry. I agree that further progress in that industry needs to be made, and quickly.
§ Mr. KinnockIs the Prime Minister aware that if he is satisfied with the co-ordination, he is easily satisfied? Does he not know that since he has been Prime Minister 23,000 jobs have been lost in the Welsh economy alone, and that the Welsh people can have no sense of confidence in his Government's policies in view of the neglect they have shown of Wales in comparison with the previous Government?
§ The Prime MinisterObviously I cannot agree with the hon. Gentleman about this. What has been shown is that, as a result of efforts by Governments of both parties since the end of the last war, Wales today has a much more stable and varied economy than it has had before. When we look at the figures of comparison between regions we should be heartened by the fact that Wales has shown up so well in comparison with some other parts of the country.
§ Dame Joan VickersAs it appears that some people who are being retrained have served prison sentences, will my right hon. Friend be kind enough to find out whether nationalised industries, such as the dockyards and the Post Office, will accept them? In my area it is practically impossible for people who have been retrained to get jobs because only private enterprise will accept them.
§ The Prime MinisterThat problem has not been brought to my notice, but I will gladly inquire into it. The training centres and the various other training establishments that I have described go to great pains to see that their courses are suitable for the areas in which they are operating and take into account the technological change which is occurring in industry. I will inquire into that point.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe Prime Minister's references to training have been confined to Government training centres, and we all welcome the proposed expansion. But does not the bulk of training take place in industry, and is not a great deal of uncertainty being caused because the Government are still making up their mind about the future of training levies? Will the Government make an early announcement on this and bear in mind that virtually all informed opinion is in favour of keeping the levy and the system of industrial training?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not accept the last part of the right hon. Gentleman's question. As my right hon. Friend told the House last week, the result of the consultations have now become available and we shall make a statement at the earliest opportunity. In reply to the first part of the supplementary question, I said earlier—perhaps the right hon. Gentleman overlooked it—that about 50,000 men and women were helped in assisted areas during 1971 as a result of the grants made to firms there for engaging or retraining existing workers.