§ Mr. CLOUGHasked the Minister of Labour how many Government instructional factories are now in existence; how many places there are in them; how many of these places are actually occupied by ex-service men undergoing training; how many men there are actually waiting to be trained; what is the annual cost of all this instructional work; and how much per man is estimated as the normal training cost, all establishment and other charges being included?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAOn 26th October there were 55 instructional factories and large workshops in which ex-service men were being trained, the total number of places being 18,072. At that date there were 7,460 men in training in these centres, which number has now increased to over 8,000 and is still increasing.
The cost of allowances to men in Government instructional factories is at present approximately at the rate of £1,100,000 per annum, and the cost of training them is approximately at the rate of £1,150,000 per annum, excluding any charge for interest or depreciation on capital assets.
813WThe total number of men in training with employers in technical institutions, and in Government instructional factories is approximately 25,000. The waiting list at present is 17,000.
The normal cost of training a man is £300, including his allowances and establishment and all other charges, and including also the period spent in a Government instructional factory, as well as the period with the employer.
It should be recognised that there are very large variations in the cost of training for the various trades and in the periods of training. As a consequence the above average should be regarded as approximate only.