HC Deb 03 July 1984 vol 63 cc139-40
9. Mr. Lofthouse

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the role of apprenticeship training in meeting the requirements of British industry for a skilled work force.

Mr. Peter Morrison

Apprentice training remains an important source of skilled manpower. But the wider aim must be to open up access to training and hence to jobs through a coherent system of standards and certificates of competence.

Mr. Lofthouse

Does the Minister not see the need to expand Government aid for the apprenticeship scheme, especially when they have abolished the ITBs, and bearing in mind the effect of the Government's disastrous policy on the scheme? If the hon. Gentleman shares that view, why has he or the Secretary of State, found it necessary to give instructions in recent weeks to stop the unemployment pay of craft apprentices in the mining industry? Was it a direct instruction from the Secretary of State, or was it a nudge from Mr. MacGregor to put the boot into the miners yet again?

Mr. Morrison

I agree with the hon. Gentleman that training is very important. As I said in my original answer, apprenticeships have a very important part to play. But, as I also said, we must have broader based training. That is why the Government, on behalf of the taxpayer, have invested a significant amount of money through the youth training scheme.

Mr. Adley

Is my hon. Friend aware that in my constituency already, as a sign of emergence from recession, employers, especially in the newer industries, are again finding a shortage of skilled people to work in those industries, despite all that this Government and their predecessors have tried to do? In view of that, is my hon. Friend willing to meet a deputation from the Dorset chamber of commerce and industry so that it may make direct representations to him?

Mr. Morrison

I am always happy to meet any deputation, especially when there are skill shortages. However, the general form of the adult training strategy is to be more flexible and more responsive than has been the case hitherto.

Mr. Sheerman

Is the Minister aware of the role that revamped apprenticeship schemes could play in the uprating and updating of our technical skills for the high-tech industries? Is he aware, further, of the recent NEDC report, which showed the horrific gap between this country, Japan, Germany and the United States in this respect? Was he not present at a recent meeting of eight senior Ministers which turned down a proposal for £400 million to switch into new technology training?

Mr. Morrison

I thought that there was general agreement in the House that we should get away from time serving and get on to standards. That is precisely what we are doing in terms of the quality of both the YTS and our adult training strategy.