§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans 491W to make grants available for students at the Buchan technical college, Fraserburgh under the training opportunities scheme, who are not already included in this scheme, especially young fishermen training to be skippers who have no other sources of income.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThere are no immediate plans.
This is an operational matter for the Manpower Services Commission which fully recognises the need for better co-ordinated training in the fishing industry. The sea fisheries training council, set up in November last year, has commissioned a survey of training needs in this sector. In the light of the survey's findings, likely to be available later this year, the MSC will consider the role of TOPS in contributing to the training needs identified.