§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the expenditure of British industry on craft training.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI do not have information which would enable me to give such an estimate. In some industries it is not as much as I would like but I hope that the Training Services Agency will be able to encourage firms to spend more on training people adequately for their present and foreseeable needs. The industrial training boards stimulate and provide financial support for large areas of training, particularly in craft occupations. In addition, the Manpower Services482W Commission intends to support craft training in 1975–76 to the extent of £8.66 million.
We shall be considering with the commission the position regarding longer-term training objectives in the Labour Party's election manifesto.