§ 11. Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will relieve industry of the operating costs of Northern Ireland's industrial training boards.
§ Mr. Adam ButlerResponsibility for the operating costs of Northern Ireland's industrial training boards was returned to the industrial sectors covered by the boards in October 1982. I have no plans to reverse this action.
§ Mr. ParryIs the Minister aware that the annual report of the Northern Ireland ITBs for 1981–82 expressed unanimous concern about the burden that is placed on industry at a time when firms and companies are under severe pressure and strain?
§ Mr. ButlerIt is quite reasonable that industry, which is the first immediate beneficiary of good training, should pay these costs. It also helps to ease the transition from compulsion to volutarism, which is part of the Government's policy. I am quite certain that all the training boards have welcomed one point in the Government's recent economic package, and that is fully to derate industrial premises. That will compensate by a much greater amount the small additional burden that will fall on industry through carrying operating costs.