HC Deb 11 February 1992 vol 203 cc790-1
14. Mr. Roy Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the skill training programme.

Mr. Jackson

There is no central Government programme under the label "skills training", but we are, of course, committed to ensuring that high-quality skills training is provided for the 380,000 people who are currently participating in Government-funded training programmes throughout England and Wales.

Mr. Hughes

Is the Minister aware that Japanese employers in Wales recently expressed concern about the level of skills of possible recruits? Is he also aware that human skills are the major determinant of success or failure? Is not it a sad reflection on the Government that after 12 years they have failed to provide the necessary skills training for our work force to make our industries competitive in world markets?

Mr. Jackson

That charge, coming from an Opposition Member, is quite unacceptable. More than 3.1 million young people have taken part in youth training since 1983. In 1979, when we came to office, only 6,000 young people were on training programmes sponsored by the then Labour Government.

Mr. Ian Bruce

Does my hon. Friend agree that employers and the TECs should be congratulated on the fact that, despite difficult economic circumstances, they are continuing to train people for the period, which will shortly come, when under a Conservative Government we shall be re-expanding the economy and employment?

Mr. Jackson

My hon. Friend is right. The regular CBI surveys and the regular Department of Employment labour force survey show that over the 1980s—this is the answer to the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes)—there has been a consistent increase in employers' commitment to training, even in this current recession.