§ 11.20 a.m.
§ Lord MottistoneMy 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 whether, in view of the winding up of several industrial training boards, it is their intention to cease the practice of requiring companies to be subject to the requirements of the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board for training of employees in industrial canteens.
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (the Earl of Gowrie)My Lords, in November 1981 my right honourable friend announced in another place his decision to abolish 16 of the industry training boards. At the same time, he said he would review the position of the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board early in 1983. We have, therefore, recently asked the Manpower Services Commission to carry out a review of training arrangements in all sectors currently in scope to the board.
§ Lord MottistoneMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, so far at it went, may I ask him to let his right honourable friend know that it would be wise if the practice of making people responsible to the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board for their industrial canteens ceased because it has been ineffective in the past and has added unnecessarily to administrative arrangements, and that will be particularly so in the future?
The Earl of GowrieMy Lords, I shall be happy to bring the attention of my right honourable friend to my noble friend's point.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, is the Minister aware that one must admit that the closing of industrial training centres is perfectly congruous to the Government's policy of ruining the British economy? Is he aware, however, that one day there might be another Government who will restore our economy? Therefore, should not some semblance of the industrial training boards and the centres be kept if only for that purpose; in other words, because we shall not be going downhill all the time and there will be a return to the need for industrial training boards for the benefit of the nation?
The Earl of GowrieMy Lords, the Government are just as much concerned with good industrial training as the noble Lord, Lord Molloy. The point is whether these particular bodies are the most useful organisations to conduct such training.