§ Mr. Bourne-Artonasked the Minister of Labour whether he will extend financial assistance in respect of their labour-training costs to firms setting up or expanding factories in development districts.
§ Mr. GodberYes. In order to clarify the present position and widen the scope of assistance towards labour-training costs in development districts it has been decided to bring into effect certain new arrangements. From 1st September, 1964, financial assistance towards such costs to firms providing additional employment in development districts—whether by moving into a development district or by expanding an existing factory there—will be administered under the Employment and Training Act, 1948, and not under the Local Employment Acts.
From that date applications will also be considered from firms in development districts which, though not expanding, are involved in substantial re-training of labour as part of measures necessary to prevent a reduction in employment.
Assistance towards the cost of approved training undertaken by such employers will be by way of grants within the following scales:
(a) Training lasting for 26 weeks or longer
A grant of £9 a week for men trainees and £6 10s. 0d. a week for women (lower rates would apply in the case of persons under 21 years), less an amount, normally on an increasing scale, in recognition of the value of the trainee's production. These grants will not normally be payable for training periods in excess of 52 weeks.(b) Training lasting less than 26 weeks
A grant of 25 per cent. of the appropriate time-rate of wages throughout Grants will not normally be made towards training which lasts less than 2 weeks or when the total amount would be less than £100.I am also prepared, in the case of firms within the categories already mentioned, to waive the fees normally charged for attendance at courses of training provided by my Ministry for supervisors and for instructors. Applications for assistance towards the cost of attendance at certain other approved courses for additional managerial, supervisory and analogous staff will also be considered.