HL Deb 06 April 1981 vol 419 c428WA
Lord Wolfenden

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they agree with the conclusions drawn in the 12th Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities (H.L. 70) on Guidelines for a Community Labour Market Policy.

The Minister of State, Department of Employment (The Earl of Gowrie)

The Government welcome the consideration given by the Select Committee to the Council's guidelines and have the following comments to make on the committee's conclusions:

  1. (i) The Government recognise the importance of communication skills and language competence. The education system is becoming increasingly aware of the value of these skills at all levels, but employers need also to show that they attach importance to them. The evidence suggests that British employers give such skills lower priority than those in certain other countries among our partners in the Community, notably France and Germany.
  2. (ii) Under existing ESF rules certain types of schemes of training on employers' premises can and do qualify for assistance. The Government agree that, in view of the heavy demands already made on the fund, any proposals for extension of its scope would have to be looked at very carefully.
  3. (iii) The Government's policies are aimed at creating an economic climate in which industry can work to improve productivity, including efficient manpower planning. Manpower planning is a matter for industry itself to resolve at plant level, but the Government are trying to encourage a positive response from both sides of industry. The work of the Manpower Services Commission makes an important contribution to this and to other aspects of national manpower policy.
  4. (iv) Although the general principles for implementing a common vocational training policy agreed to by the Council of Ministers in 1963 are still essentially valid, the time has now come to take a fresh look at how these principles apply at a time of high unemployment and rapid technological change. An important step in this direction will be taken later this year when the Commission will propose objectives to Community policy in the field of vocational training in the 1980s.