§ 8. Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for the improvement of industrial training in the Downpatrick area.
§ Mr. OrmeA new training course in basic office work is due to commence in September at Downpatrick Technical College. There are no other plans at present to provide additional industrial training facilities in the area.
§ Mr. PowellIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the disappointment which was felt in this area at the reduction of these facilities a year or so ago? Does he recognise that this is an area and a centre which are particularly fitted for the provision of industrial training and where it is specially needed?
§ Mr. OrmeThere are three training centres within 30 miles of the area to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred, namely Dundonald, Newry and Craigavon. Travelling expenses are available to people who use these facilities. It is impossible for the Government to provide training centres in every town and city in Northern Ireland because of limits on expenditure.
§ Mr. StallardI should like to congratulate my right hon. Friend on his interest and the progress he has made to date with regard to training facilities in Northern Ireland, particularly his recent opening of the Boucher Road training centre in Belfast, which was not well publicised. Will he look again at this particular project because, as the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell) said, there is a lack of training facilities for those concerned in the area?
§ Mr. OrmeI thank my hon. Friend for what he has said. As I have repeated many times in this House, there are 10 times more training centres in Northern Ireland than in the rest of the United Kingdom. Although the unemployment rate is too high in Downpatrick, it is below the average for the Province. Certainly I shall look at this matter. Frankly. I do not think that there is any justification for more facilities at present.