§ Mr. FishburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement about the responsibility for training in Wales.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe Government will take further steps towards greater policy and financial devolution to Wales in the field of training. In particular, the determination of future public expenditure provision for training programmes in Wales will, from next year, become a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
The establishment of a network of training and enterprise councils in Wales has put a sharper focus on the economic demands of local areas, and this has ensured that training programmes are better tailored to local needs. In view of this, and in view of the creation of an integrated training, education and enterprise department in the Welsh Office, the Government believe that there is now greater scope for the separate determination of training policy for Wales. Accordingly, responsibility for 531W determining training policy in Wales will be transferred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales as from 1 April 1994, within the framework of the overall strategic priorities, initiatives and policies developed by myself, in consultation with colleagues and collectively agreed.