HL Deb 05 June 1990 vol 519 cc1358-9WA
Lord Graham of Edmonton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they have reduced the financial assistance available to small and medium-sized employers for youth training, and what effect this is likely to have on the amount of training undertaken.

Lord Strathclyde

Planned expenditure on youth training reflects the fall in the numbers of young people, a more competitive youth labour market and the policy of the Government that employers should increase the contribution which they already make towards the costs of youth training. Employers stand to benefit from a better trained workforce, and it is in their interests that they should increasingly support youth training. The Training and Enterprise Councils will broaden the scope of employer involvement and ensure that the training provided is relevant to the needs of industry and commerce in the locality.

Lord Graham of Edmonton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What effect the increased financial burdens on small and medium-sized employers is likely to have on their training activities and the creation of a trained workforce.

Lord Strathclyde

The training activities of small and medium sized building employers are determined not only by the Government's policy of encouraging increased contributions towards training costs but also by a range of other factors, such as demography and the levels of economic activity within the industry. The introduction of employer-led Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) should ensure that all companies, including those in the building industry, recognise that it is in their interest to sustain and improve their efforts to provide a better trained workforce.