§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Minister of Labour what percentage of the men, which his Department estimated to have become unemployed during the most recent year for which complete figures are available, has undergone retraining in Government-sponsored establishments.
§ Mr. HattersleyThis information is not available. In any period, the numbers taking up courses at Government Training Centres would form only a very small percentage of the total number of men becoming unemployed. A high proportion of these are only out of work for short periods.
§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Minister of Labour (1) what percentage of the men who have undergone retraining in Government-sponsored establishments has qualified in new skills;
(2) what percentage of the men who have qualified in new skills in Government-sponsored training establishments has been absorbed into employment in which these skills are required.
§ Mr. HattersleyNearly 80 per cent. of those who take courses in Government Training Centres qualify in new skills. In the past two years 95 per cent. of those qualifying have been placed in employment in their training trades, either immediately at the end of their course or shortly afterwards.
§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Minister of Labour what estimate he has made of the percentage of retrained men offering themselves for employment in occupations 262W for which they have received retraining in Government-sponsored establishments who have been prevented from taking up such employment because of official or unofficial opposition from trade unions.
§ Mr. HattersleyNo estimate has been made, because the percentage is known to be very small.
§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Minister of Labour what percentage of the numbers of men likely to become unemployed for technological reasons in the years 1967, 1968 and 1969 is likely to be retrained in Government-sponsored establishments and be re-employed thereafter in the occupations for which they have been retrained.
§ Mr. HattersleyTraining at Government training centres is available to all men who want and are suitable and eligible for such training irrespective of whether they are employed or unemployed. It is not possible to estimate how many men becoming unemployed for technological reasons will apply to be accepted for such training, but I anticipate that it will only be a small proportion of the total, as most retraining must be done in industry itself, not in Government Training Centres.