Skillcentres and Jobcentres (Hansard, 16 January 1985)

§ 1. Mr. Strang
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Manpower Services Commission in Scotland about its plans to close skillcentres and cut staff at jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Allan Stewart)
I attended the meeting of the Manpower Services Committee for Scotland on 10 September at which the development of the employment service was among the matters discussed and joined my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and other ministerial colleagues in meeting members of the Manpower Services Commission in London on 6 December on this subject. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced the Government's acceptance of the commission's final recommendations on 9 January in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Fallon). The commission has not yet completed its consideration of the Skillcentre Training Agency's latest business plan.

§ Mr. Strang
Is it not outrageous that, when hundreds of thousands of Scots are unemployed through no fault of their own and the Government should be providing more training and help, they are planning to close two skillcentres and three skillcentre annexes and to cut 70 jobcentre staff whose job it is to help the unemployed find work?

§ Mr. Stewart
No, not at all. We are expanding the number of jobcentres in Scotland by a total of seven, including two in Edinburgh, in Corstorphine and Lady road. I emphasise that by tailoring provision to employment need, the Manpower Services Commission will assist more people. The figure this year of 9,600 will be increased to 17,000 in 1985–86.

§ Mr. Millan
Will the Minister ensure that no decision is taken by the MSC or Ministers to close skillcentres before the Select Committee on Employment reports and before there is a debate in the House? Will he also ensure that the MSC does not pre-empt any decision, as it has for example in Govan, by running down courses and selling off machinery at knock-down prices? Does the Minister agree that what is happening there and elsewhere is a scandal?

§ Mr. Stewart
As the right hon. Gentleman knows, debates in the House are not for me to decide. Unquestionably, there is over-capacity in the provision of the skillcentre network in the west of Scotland. I am, of course, aware of the Select Committee's investigation.

§ Mr. Bill Walker
When considering the future of skillcentres, will my hon. Friend take into account whether jobs are available in the skills for which training is given? Surely it is nonsense to train people in skills for which jobs are not available. Will my hon. Friend also take into account the facilities and spare capacity in private companies and Government-owned bodies which could be used to train people? Is the MSC directing its attention to that aspect?

§ Mr. Stewart
Yes, my hon. Friend is right. It is sensible for skillcentre courses to reflect what industry wants. That is my hon. Friend's point. My hon. Friend is also right to say that the MSC believes that there should be a variety of providers of relevant, cost-effective courses.

§ Mr. Craigen
Will Scotland's industry Minister tell us how, with almost 350,000 unemployed, he can meekly sit back and allow skillcentres to close, especially when the Scottish CBI says that there are shortages in skilled labour? Moreover, does the Minister think it satisfactory that the jobless in Scotland should be left to rely mostly on self-selection procedures? Is that not really the nature of the new schemes resulting from the cut in jobcentre staff?

§ Mr. Stewart
No, not at all. As I have already explained, there will be more jobcentres and the level of service will be maintained by travelling staff, the streamlining of procedures and modern technology.
I should have thought that the Opposition would accept the general proposition that it is absurd to waste resources at skillcentres. There is a capacity for 1,980 places, of which 1,234 are in use. If the proposals are implemented, there will be 1,360 places. We must use resources effectively.
As I said to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang), the result of the proposals will be an increase in the number of people in Scotland being assisted with training.