Training and Enterprise Councils (Hansard, 20 March 1996)

§ 17. Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps she takes to monitor the performance of individual training and enterprise councils.[20140]

§ Mr. Paice
The performance of individual training and enterprise councils is monitored regularly by Government regional offices.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
I know that the Minister has been to Wakefield on at least one occasion recently. Is he aware of the considerable dissatisfaction with the performance of Wakefield training and enterprise council, which has no relationship with the local authority, hardly any relationship with local schools and no relationship with the district college? How can we ensure that TECs, such as the one in Wakefield, become accountable to the local public? At the present time, they seem to be a law unto themselves.

§ Mr. Paice
As the hon. Gentleman said, I went to Wakefield in the autumn specifically to address the clear breakdown in the relationship between the TEC and local organisations. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, I have no direct powers to intervene, but I was anxious to smooth out the problem in whatever way I could. I understand that the relationship between the TEC and the college is now considerably improved, but I do not necessarily claim credit for that. Much work has been done by our regional staff to try to improve the situation. The latest information I have is that it is much better.
I do not know why Wakefield is almost alone among TECs in having a bad relationship with the local community, because across the country matters have worked well after a rocky start. I will keep a close eye on the situation in Wakefield and I hope that it will continue to improve.

§ Mr. Ian McCartney
On 29 December last year, I wrote to the Secretary of State about the fact that TECs had sent trainees into circumstances that led to 1,750 of them being injured. On one occasion, a death took place. The Secretary of State was kind enough to reply and she gave me an assurance, with the Health and Safety Executive, that improvements would be made to ensure that there was a reduction in accidents involving trainees.
372 Today, a letter has been produced by the Health and Safety Executive which suggests that the Department of the Environment and the Department for Education and Employment are involved in cutting that body's resources to the extent that it cannot fulfil its commitments. The reply given to me by the Secretary of State has been thrown away by the Department's plan, in secret with the Department of the Environment, to cut grants to the Health and Safety Executive. That will lead to death and injuries in the workplace. Does the Secretary of State intend to make a statement about the involvement of her Department in managing reductions in the budget of the Health and Safety Executive?

§ Mr. Paice
The hon. Member is shroud waving and making damaging statements about health and safety on Government training programmes.
On the subject of the resources of the Health and Safety Executive, the hon. Gentleman should address his question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who is responsible for that matter.
On Government training programmes, TECs are responsible for ensuring that every single placement of a Government-sponsored trainee, be it on a youth training scheme or in training for work, is backed up by a positive health and safety policy. The categorical assurances that my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Gentleman in the letter remain in place. We will not have trainees put knowingly into any position of danger.