§ 11. Mr. Douglasasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the procedures adopted for industrial training for crews to man oil rigs operating in the North Sea.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkThe training of oil rig crews is primarily a matter for the contracting companies undertaking drilling operations.
The Petroleum Industry Training Board is co-operating with other organisations to provide training for locally recruited personnel for work on rigs.
§ Mr. DouglasWill the hon. Gentleman accept that that reply is a trifle complacent? In view of the undisputed expansion in the numbers likely to be employed on drilling rigs and production platforms in the North Sea, will he consult his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to see whether there can be inserted in further licensing agreements a clause asking operators of drilling rigs and production platforms to employ local personnel?
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkI shall draw my right hon. Friend's attention to the hon. Gentleman's views. There is no complacency in this matter. This is something new, and something that 810 should take up a great deal of concern, and it will do so.
On the question of the training of personnel, to name but one, yesterday the South Eastern Drilling Company opened a training school at Aberdeen to train locally recruited personnel for employment on the rigs. Between 500 and 600 people will be trained over the next two years, but that is only one organisation that is dealing with training in this matter.