§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many training opportunities programme applicants were turned down during 1977.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information at present available relates to the first nine months of 1977. Over that period 24,538 applications were rejected.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average waiting time before someone who is registered as unemployed is able to start on a training opportunities programme sponsored training course.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that this information is not obtainable other than at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment when the number of applicants for a specific training opportunities programme sponsored training course exceeds the number of places available, what is the method of selection.
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§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that people are allocated to training according to their place on the waiting list, which is determined by the date of their application for training.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently on waiting lists for training opportunities programme sponsored training courses.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that at 30th April 1978 there were 41,205 adults whose applications for training under the training opportunities scheme
August-December 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 Total 16,037 39,920 45,416 60,724 89,651 94,162 Young people included in total (approximate figures) * 1,000 1,000 2,000 15,000 17,300 * Not available. The average annual number of people registered as unemployed in great Britain in those years was:
1972 834,993 1973 587,650 1974 585,230 1975 935,649 1976 1,303,979 1977 1,422,650 As these figures are compiled on different bases—one is an annual total and one is annual average—it is not feasible to express one as a percentage of the other.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the registered unemployed has applied for training opportunities programme training courses in each year since these courses were introduced.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The Commission has, however, advised that during the calendar year 1977, 216,998 people applied for training under TOPS. Of
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August-December 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 Skill-centres * 16,897 17,117 18,737 22,692 23,939 Colleges * 16,009 21,692 33,698 51,998 53,122 Employers establishments * 6,163 5,809 7,490 14,241 16,333 Residential training colleges * 861 798 799 720 768 Total 16,037 39,930 45,416 60,724 89,651 94,162 * Breakdown of figures not available. had been accepted but who had not yet been allocated a place on a course or whose course had not yet begun.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have completed training opportunities programme sponsored training courses in each year since these courses were introduced; and what percentage of the registered unemployed each of these figures represents.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that since TOPS was introduced in August 1972 the following numbers of people have completed courses:
these, approximately 30 per cent. were in full-time employment at the time they made their applications. The remaining 70 per cent. were unemployed or "nonoemployed". Information on the number of these applicants who were registered as unemployed is not readily available.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures showing the total number of training opportunities programme training places, and as a percentage of total registered unemployment in each year since these courses were introduced.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the since TOPS was introduced in August Manpower Services Commission that 1972 the number of training places provided has been governed by the needs of trainees and the availability of training places in various types of institutions. Statistics are not therefore available in the form requested, but the following table shows the numbers of completions by trainees in various types of training institutions by year:
153WInformation on the numbers of registered unemployed persons in these years has been provided in the reply that I gave today to a further Question by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of applicants for training opportunities programme training courses are accepted for training.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the latest information available relates to the first nine months of 1977. Over that
NUMBERS IN TRAINING 31ST JANUARY 1978 19–24 years 25–29 years 40 years and over Total Construction 1,644 934 306 2,884 Engineering and Automotive 3,718 2,324 1,385 7,445 Clerical and Commercial 4,345 2,689 3,194 10,228 Heavy Goods Vehicle Driving 51 58 29 138 Management 593 840 816 2,249 Miscellaneous 2,144 1,348 1,090 4,582 Total 12,495 8,211 6,820 27,526 A breakdown of these figures to show numbers of males and females is not available, but a count made on 31st Dec
Male Female Total Construction 3,608 42 3,650 Engineering and Automotive 9,734 128 9,862 Clerical and Commercial 535 12,272 12,807 Heavy Goods Vehicle Driving 12 2 14 Management 2,106 703 2,809 Miscellaneous 4,322 3,087 7,409 Total 20,317 16,234 36,551
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of training opportunities programme trainees in 1977 were of United Kingdom origin.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that approximately 92 per cent. of trainees completing training in 1977 were of United Kingdom origin.