HC Deb 12 December 1977 vol 941 cc53-6W
Mr. Stephen Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has in mind to increase the number of skillcentres in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Golding

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Training Services Agency plans to open 13 new skillcentres and one skillcentre annexe in Great Britain in its expansion programme up to 1981. The provision of

discontinuities. The figures for June 1977 are provisional.

skillcentres in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Mr. Stephen Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the numbers and situations of skillcentres throughout the United Kingdom.

Mr. Golding

The Manpower Services Commission informs me that there are currently 67 skillcentres and 31 annexes in operation in Great Britain. The provision of skillcentres in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The locations of the centres in Great Britain are given below:

Scotland

  • Bellshill (A)
  • Dumbarton
  • Dundee
  • Dunfermline
  • Edinburgh (A)
  • Glasgow (Hillington) (A)
  • Glasgow (Queenslie)
  • Irvine
  • Port Glasgow

North-East

  • Billingham on Tees
  • Bradford
  • Darlington
  • Durham (A)
  • Felling on Tyne (A)
  • Hull
  • Killingworth
  • Leeds (A)
  • Middlesbrough (A)
  • Wakefield

North-West

  • Blackburn
  • Hindley (A)
  • Liverpool
  • Manchester (Denton)
  • Manchester (Trafford Park)
  • Maryport
  • Preston
  • Rochdale
  • Runcorn
  • St. Helens (A)

Midlands

  • Birmingham (Handsworth) (A)
  • Birmingham (Castle Bromwich)
  • Coventry (A)
  • Doncaster
  • Dudley
  • Leicester
  • Long Eaton (A)
  • North Staffs
  • Kirkby-in-Ashfield
  • Sheffield (2A)
  • Wolverhampton

Percentage change in the numbers unemployed between
June 1970 and January 1974 February 1974 and August 1977
Belgium* … … … … … … … +60 +156
Denmarkt† … … … … … … … +459 +267
France‡ … … … … … … … +111 +128
Germany‡ … … … … … … … +555 +55
Ireland* … … … … … … … +11 +67
Italy‡ … … … … … … … … +36 +38
Luxembourg‡ … … … … … … N.A. +2,257║
Netherlands‡ … … … … … … … +386 +44
United Kingdom‡ … … … … … … +13 +160
Japan§ … … … … … … … +46 +28
Canada§ … … … … … … … +20 +32
United States§ … … … … … … +7 +31
* Insured unemployed.
† Unemployed insured under trade union schemes.
‡ Registered unemployed.
§ Based on labour force survey.
║ The total number unemployed in August 1977 was only 825.

Wales and West

  • Bristol (A)
  • Cardiff (2A)
  • Gloucester (A)
  • Llanelli
  • Newport
  • Plymouth (A)
  • Redruth
  • Port Talbot
  • West Gwent (A)
  • Wrexham

South-East

  • Basildon (A)
  • Ipswich
  • Letchworth
  • Milton Keynes (A)
  • Medway (A)
  • Norwich
  • Peterborough
  • Portsmouth
  • Slough (A)
  • Southampton (A)
  • West Sussex (A)
  • Reading

London

  • Enfield (A)
  • Perivale (A)
  • Poplar
  • Twickenham (A)
  • Waddon (A)
  • Kidbrooke (Annexe to Charlton Skilleentre which is under construction).

NOTE: The letter (A) denotes the centre named also has an annexe.