HC Deb 22 July 1986 vol 102 cc166-7W
14. Mr. Corbett

asked the Paymaster General what plans he has to seek to increase the spending of industry on adult training.

Mr. Trippier

The primary aim of the adult training strategy is to convince employers that increased investment in the training and development of the nation's work force is vital to business success.

The Government, through the Manpower Services Commission are pursuing this strategy through a range of measures, which include both direct provision of training and measures to encourage and help employers to undertake more training.

42. Mr. Sheerman

asked the Paymaster General when he intends to review the Government's strategy of funding adult training.

Mr. Trippier

The White Paper "Training for Jobs" sets out the Government's conclusions on the funding of education and training generally and the roles and responsibilities of the different parties involved. Within this framework the Government accepted in April 1986 the plan of work for a major study by the Manpower Services Commission of the funding of vocational education and training, including adult training.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Paymaster General if he will list each adult retraining scheme, the numbers on it, projected numbers for 1987, 1988 and 1989, and the most recent estimate of the cost per place.

Mr. Trippier

[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1986]: The following table provides the forecast number of starts and expenditure for each adult training scheme for 1986–87. Information is not available by calendar year because our training schemes are administered and funded on a financial year basis. Plans for future financial years will be announced in due course.

Planned numbers of people to be helped under adult training programmes 1986
Adult training programmes 1986–87 Forecast number of starts 1986–87 Forecast expenditure £ million
Job training programme
Priority skills national grants 9,400 13.2
Local skills action
Local training grants 50,400 22.8
Job training scheme 51,350 148.4
Access to information
technology 25,000 1.1
Training for enterprise 46,300 18.8

Adult training programmes 1986–87 Forecast number of starts 1986–87 Forecast expenditure £ million
Special groups
Industrial language training 13,500 2.3
Residential training for disabled 1,100 6.1
Wider opportunities training programme 44,700 26.0
Open Tech (open learning) 50,000 10.9

Note:

Because of widely different course lengths it is not possible to calculate a meaningful average cost per trainee for the individual schemes.