HC Deb 15 December 1981 vol 15 cc146-7
17. Mr. Douglas

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement regarding the current intake of apprentices into engineering in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The Engineering Industry Training Board estimates that engineering employers will recruit about 10,300 craft and technician apprentices in the 1981–82 training year. The Government have provided funds for the Engineering Industry Training Board to meet the costs of making grants and training awards to produce an additional intake of 4,000 trainees.

Mr. Douglas

Does the Minister agree that the current intake of engineering apprentices is far below our long-term demand? If and when the economy gets going, we shall run into a shortage of skills. Surely this is a terrible indictment of the Government in relying on the so-called market system to make up for skill shortages. Can we do something about this?

Mr. Morrison

I agree with the hon. Gentleman that it is important for us to ensure that we do not have any skill shortages. I hope that he accepts the figures that I have given. There are 4,000 extra trainees, at a cost of £14 million. That is the sum that the Government have set aside for that purpose.

Mr. Renton

What lessons does my hon. Friend draw from the fact that in the past year in the United Kingdom only about 80,000 apprentices started their first year of apprenticeship, as compared with about 680,000 in West Germany? Could this be due, at least in part, to the fact that the starting rate for an apprentice in this country is 50 per cent. that of a skilled craftsman, whereas in Germany it is only 20 per cent?

Mr. Morrison

I was hoping to give my hon. Friend the answer that he has given himself. Certainly I draw the same lesson as he has drawn from the German experience.

Mr. Craigen

Has the Minister discussed with the Engineering Industry Training Board the increasing number of apprentices caught by redundancy?

Mr. Morrison

I have not spoken directly to the board about that. I am not sure whether the hon. Gentleman was present when I answered a question on the same matter earlier, but he may know that, through the Engineering Industry Training Board, we are supporting 2,800 redundant engineering apprentices.