§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he is satisfied that a sufficient pool of skilled and semi-skilled people exists to channel into the manufacture of microcomputers as the demand increases;
(2) if he is satisfied that a sufficient pool of skilled people exists to channel into the software industry as the demand increases.
§ Mr. GoldingThe Government are aware that the development of microelectronic technology would be inhibited238W if there were not sufficient skilled and semi-skilled workers available. Such shortages could affect the development of computer technology and usage generally as well as the speed of application of microelectronic technology to various industrial processes and products. The Government have therefore taken steps to support the training of such workers by the industry in order to try to ensure that such shortages do not develop. The Manpower Services Commission has put in hand, through the national training system, a three-year programme beginning this year to ensure that computer manufacturers and users expand their training in software skills and new areas of skill for which systematic training has hitherto not been available generally. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Employment, for Industry and for Education and Science presented a joint paper to the National Economic Development Council on 6 December which set out, among other things, the action the Government are taking to ensure that skill shortages do not become a constraint. Copies of this paper were laid in the Library of the House.