§ Mr. FINNEYasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed by the National Council of the Pottery Industry, Stoke-on-Trent, urgently requesting that, in view of the general increase in the cost of living, the scale of allowances to trainees be proportionately increased both by employers and the State, and urging him to give the matter early and favourable consideration, and that the scale of allowances shall from time to time be reviewed in connection with the index of average increases in the cost of living as compiled by the Ministry of 1567W Labour; and whether he can give an assurance that the matter will be dealt with on the lines suggested at an early date?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe resolution to which my hon. Friend refers has been brought to my notice. My hon. Friend will be aware that the present scale of training allowances is based on the maximum disability pension, and it is not possible to increase the former with-out making a corresponding alteration in the latter. This question was very fully dealt with by the Leader of the House in his reply to the hon. Member for West Derbyshire on 16th June, and the decision then announced that no alteration in the scale of pensions could be made still stands. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the reply referred to.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CROFTasked the Minister of Labour (1) whether members of interviewing boards and interviewing officers in connection with the training-grant scheme for ex-officers were instructed to advise all applicants to refrain in every possible way from consuming their gratuities, and should apply for immediate appointments, temporary or otherwise, in Government offices during the period of waiting for training;
(2) whether, in consequence of ex-officers taking up temporary salaried appointments in Government offices during the period of waiting for instructions to start training, the interviewing boards were forbidden to touch their cases or to advise the men to give up their appointments in order to qualify for training;
(3) whether his attention has been called to the great hardship experienced by ex-officers who, not understanding the meaning of the training grant scheme, accepted appointments in Government Departments and now, owing to the closing down of such Departments, find themselves out of date for training in any profession or other career; and whether consideration can be given to such cases for special treatment?
§ Sir M. BARLOWNo such instructions as my hon. and gallant Friend describes were issued to members of interviewing Boards or to interviewing officers. I have not had any reason to think that hardship has been caused to ex-officers owing1568W to any misunderstanding of the Maintenance and Training Grant Scheme. This scheme has been widely advertised in the Press, and by means of Army circulars to all units at home and abroad, and I am satisfied that all possible steps have been taken to make known its existence and scope to all ex-service men. Provided that an applicant lodged a formal application for that training under the Training Grants Scheme within the time limit following his demobilisation, no delay in starting training, due to inability to secure a suitable training vacancy, has prejudiced his case. Whenever, owing to his inability to secure such vacancy, an applicant has taken up temporary employment with the knowledge of his local directorate, his prospects of securing a training grant, when such vacancy is found, are not affected. From the moment when the applicant has lodged his formal application for training, his local directorate would be engaged in assisting him in every way to find a suitable training vacancy, and, when found, the case is brought without delay before the appropriate interviewing board. I may add, moreover, that the Regulation of the scheme provide that where ignorance of the existence of the scheme can be proved, the time limit rule may be waived. The Grants Committee have in numerous cases accepted the plea of ignorance and waived the rule in question.