§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how much money will be allocated in 1982 to support the operation costs of industrial training boards;
384W(2) why the Manpower Services Commission has written to industrial training boards saying that there will be no money to fund their operating costs after 31 December.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 24 March 1981, c. 226]: My right hon. Friend told the House on 26 November that the Government's present intention is that Exchequer support for the operating costs of industrial training boards should be reduced in 1981–82, and should cease thereafter. The Manpower Services Commission was subsequently told that financial provision for such support would be reduced by £11.4 million—at 1980 survey prices—in 1981–82, and would be withdrawn thereafter. I am informed by the commission that, pending the outcome of the current sector-by-sector review of arrangements for promoting industrial training, it considered that it must treat all the industrial training boards alike in respect of the period of funding of operating costs. It accordingly wrote to industrial training boards to say that they should plan on the basis that Exchequer support for operating costs would cease at the end of 1981.
The amount provided for the operating costs of industrial training boards within the cash limited estimate for the grant-in-aid to the commission for 1981–82 is £44.3 million—at 1981–82 outturn prices.
My right hon. Friend has undertaken to look again at the timing of the cessation of Exchequer support in the light of the results of the review.