§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will detail the training arrangements which replaced the rubber and plastics processing industrial training board and make a statement concerning progress towards the objectives of the new training initiative in that sector.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe training arrangements that replaced the rubber and plastics processing industry training board are now undertaken mainly by the plastics processing industry training board and the British rubber industry training organisation.
The British rubber industry training organisation was established by the British Rubber Manufacturers Association. It is concentrating its training efforts in management and supervisory training.
Both the board and the training organisation distribute grants from the Manpower Services Commission to employers in the industry. Good progress is being made towards the objectives of the new training initiative.
The board has just produced its first Open Tech module, "an Introduction to Polymer Materials", and is developing standards of performance and gaining recommendations for the industry, in addition to managing a 500 place youth training scheme. The British rubber industry training organisation is co-operating with the board in the production of Open Tech materials for the rubber industry and is heavily involved in the assessment of the potential of individuals and their training needs through its assessment centre programme. It is also actively involved in providing information on the youth training scheme in which all the major companies are participating as managing agents. Both organisations are co-operating with the engineering industry training board's work in the development of segmental apprentice training.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will detail the training arrangements which replaced the footwear, leather and fur skin industrial training board and make a statement concerning progress towards the objectives of the new training initiative in that sector.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonResponsibility for training in those sectors previously covered by the footwear, leather and fur skin industry training board now rests principally with two non-statutory training organisations, the British Leather Confederation and the British Footwear Manufacturers Federation. The Manpower Services Commission maintains close links with both.
In the smaller sectors previously covered by the board., training needs are identified and met mainly by individual employers with some assistance from their employer associations and chambers of trade and commerce.
The British Leather Confederation has worked closely with the Leather Producers Association to develop a national model for the youth training scheme and is hopeful of carrying forward a five year plan for the industry which would include the other objectives of the new training initiative.
55WIn footwear repair and manufacture, individual firms in various localities have provided places under the youth training scheme.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will detail the training arrangements which replaced the paper and products industrial training board and make a statement concerning progress towards the objectives of the new training initiative in that sector.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonResponsibility for training in that sector of industry previously covered by the paper and paper products industry training board now rests principally with two non-statutory training organisations, the British Paper and Board Industry Federation Education and Training Council and the British Fibreboard Packaging Employers' Association.
Good progress is being made in the sector towards the objectives of the new training initiative. For example, the British Paper and Board Industry Federation Education and Training Council has recently signed an agreement with the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunication and Plumbing Union to replace the traditional time-served apprenticeship with one that is standards-based.
Many companies throughout the sector have played an important part in the youth training scheme. Both of the principal training organisations have offered guidance to employers in the area, acting as sponsors or managing agents.
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 Scotland 1 4 7 6 2 3 Northern 2 5 6 7 1 9 Yorkshire & Humberside 1 1 4 5 8 4 North-West 0 2 3 3 6 2 Midlands 5 3 2 4 8 7 Wales 6 4 5 8 5 6 South-West 0 3 3 3 7 9 South-East 3 3 3 4 3 5 London 3 4 7 5 6 13 Totals 21 29 40 45 52 58
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number and location of women-only vocational training courses funded by the Manpower Services Commission in each year from 1979–80 to 1984–85.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonDuring the period 1979–80 to 1984–85, the Manpower Services Commission has not funded any women-only vocational training courses under the training opportunities scheme, although women-only work preparation courses leading to full skills courses have been supported.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was, in each Manpower Services Commission region, the level of expenditure by Manpower Services Commission on women-only training courses in each year from 1979–80 to 1984–85.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonExpenditure for the first six months of the 1984–85 financial year on women-only courses supported under our training opportunities scheme was as follows:
56W
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the planned date of publication of the detailed research which has been commissioned by the Manpower Services Commission on training arrangements in sectors where statutory industrial training boards have been abolished.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission has not commissioned any detailed research on training arrangements in sectors where statutory industrial training boards have been abolished.
In December 1982, the commission invited the British Association for Commercial and Industrial Education to report on training information systems, with particular reference to non-statutory training organisations. I am not aware of any plans for publishing this report.