HL Deb 28 February 1980 vol 405 cc1509-10

3.12 p.m.

The Earl of KINNOULL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the review of industrial training boards being carried out by the Manpower Services Commission to be completed.

The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of EMPLOYMENT (The Earl of Gowrie)

My Lords, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that they expect to receive in July the report of the review body which is considering, in the aftermath of the 1973 Employment and Training Act, the adequacy of the arrangements for encouraging and providing training for employment in industry and commerce.

The Earl of KINNOULL

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask whether he could confirm that the review will be sufficiently comprehensive to meet the essential role of the training boards in easing the labour market and unemployment? Can he also confirm that the board's attention will be drawn to the need particularly to help to equip people with skills in the 1980s? I have in mind, in particular, the micro-electronic industry.

The Earl of GOWRIE

My Lords, I sympathise with my noble friend. These are indeed technical issues and an occasional aide-memoire, as Ministers well know, comes in very handy. I can assure him that the review will be sufficiently wide-ranging. It covers not only industrial training boards but all aspects of industrial training that come within the scope of the Employment and Training Act 1973. These cover sectors of industry outside the scope of the boards. If I may add a quick personal note, as the Minister responsible for micro-electronic technology within my department, I have asked that micro-electronic training be covered and we have in fact made additional provision, in money terms, for that.

Lord WYNNE-JONES

My Lords, will the noble Earl confirm that it is not the intention of his department to close down training centres, but rather to extend and improve them?

The Earl of GOWRIE

Yes, my Lords.

The Earl of KINNOULL

My Lords, would my noble friend also confirm that Her Majesty's Government are now happy with the terms and conditions of the training board staffs themselves?

The Earl of GOWRIE

My Lords, there are some difficulties there and we are trying to improve the situation. As my noble friend may be aware, the industrial training board managements do find it unsatisfactory that they have to apply to Government for permission to raise salaries, or whatever. This is somewhat anomalous in the present situation, and we are looking for ways to improve it.

Lord WALLACE of COSLANY

My Lords, will the noble Earl agree, bearing in mind the excellent maiden speech made yesterday by the noble Lord, Lord Scanlon, that this is a question where we simply cannot afford any economies whatever, and in fact we must have expansion? Will he undertake that, when the Government have received the report, they will give it urgent attention and report immediately to Parliament so that we can have an immediate debate?

The Earl of GOWRIE

My Lords, I should certainly like to add my tribute to the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Scanlon, with whom I have had some private discussions about training. I will take the noble Lord's remarks into consideration.