§ 68. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken in the last few months to ensure that those of middle age and over who will be prematurely redundant as a result of increased pit closures in the next few years are adequately provided with special retraining facilities in their own localities.
§ Mr. ThorntonI have carefully examined the present provision and planned expansion of Government training centres 199W in relation to pit closures and have come to the conclusion that facilities are adequate to meet likely demands for training from redundant miners. Four new industrial rehabilitation units are to be established to help in the resettlement of redundant miners, especially those handicapped by disability or age. A special training course for disabled ex-miners will shortly open at Finchale Abbey Training Centre, near Durham, with financial assistance from the National Coal Board.