§ 35. Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Paymaster General if he has any plans to increase the availability of open and distance learning for adults, particularly unemployed adults.
§ Mr. TrippierYes. The Manpower Services Commission's Open Tech programme is increasing the amount of open learning material available to individuals for retraining and updating of their skills. Over 18,000 hours of Open Tech material is now available, and over 25,000 people have benefited from it. These figures are likely to double by March 1987. MSC is increasing the use of open learning within all its training schemes, including schemes which help unemployed people. The Government are considering plans for the further development of open learning beyond 1987.