§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to meet representatives of the Engineering Employers Federation, the Confederation of British Industry, or the Manufacturing and Construction Industries Alliance to discuss ways in which his policies can more effectively encourage individuals in Scotland to improve their qualifications and skills.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 9 March 1993]: My right hon. Friend will continue to hold frequent meetings with industry representatives to discuss policies relating to skills and qualifications, and the way individuals might make best use of them.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement giving the details of those policies which have been introduced by his Department in each of the last five years in order positively to encourage individuals in Scotland to improve their skills and qualifications.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 9 March 1993]: The Government have taken a number of significant steps in the last five years to encourage individuals to improve their skills and qualifications.
These steps include: introduction of youth training and youth credits; introduction of employment training which merges, with employment action, into training for work from 1 April 1993; continued rapid development of the system of Scottish vocational qualifications and other measures to secure parity of esteem with academic 717W qualifications; and introduction of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and their networks of local enterprise companies.
Further details for each year can be found in the relevant departmental reports and from the period from April 1991 from the annual reports of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.