HC Deb 27 November 1990 vol 181 cc381-2W
Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the members of training and enterprise councils represent(a) employers, (b) trades unions and (c) others; if he will classify in broad terms the categories from which members under (c) are drawn; what information is held on the political affiliation of members of training and enterprise councils; and whether any members are nominated by political groupings.

Mr. Jackson

The information requested on board members is set out in the table and refers to the 41 operational training and enterprise councils. The role of TECs is to engage employers more fully in the training process. It is not their function to represent sectional interests in their local community. Board members are, therefore, appointed as individuals in their own right.

The number of board members drawn from the various sectors is as follows:

  1. (a) Employers—378
  2. (b) Trades Unions—29
  3. (c) Other—137

The "other" category can be broken down into:

  • Local authority—50
  • Education—59
  • Voluntary organisation—20
  • Employer association—8

Information is not kept on the political affiliation of TEC members. Board members are not drawn from political groupings.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money training and enterprise councils have spent in total on outside consultants.

Mr. Jackson

The information is not available.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which consultancies have been employed by training and enterprise councils; and how much money each has received in fees for developing corporate or strategic plans.

Mr. Jackson

Training and enterprise councils are independent private companies. The consultants employed by them and the fees paid are a matter for individual TECs.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) chief executives of training and enterprise councils and (b) other staff, excluding outside employees, have chosen (i) to resign civil service status and (ii) to retain such status.

Mr. Jackson

The information requested is set out in the table and refers to the 41 operational training and enterprise councils.

Number
(a) (i) Chief Executives who have resigned Civil Service status 4
(ii) Chief Executives who have retained Civil Service status 23
(b) (i) Other staff who have resigned Civil Service status —
(ii) Other staff who have retained Civil Service status 2,156

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what allocation of resources has been made to the training and enterprise councils towards the training of the lower ability range of potential trainees.

Mr. Jackson

Budgets for training and enterprise councils are negotiated with individual TECs, based on proposals set out in their corporate and business plans. These plans set out how the needs of trainees of all ability levels including those from the lower ability range are to be addressed.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the training and enterprise council chief executives designated or appointed have been recruited from(a) outside the civil service and (b) outside the Training Agency.

Mr. Jackson

Sixty-four of the 82 training and enterprise councils have appointed or designated a chief executive to date. Of these, 25 were recruited from outside both the civil service and the Department of Employment.