HC Deb 31 January 1975 vol 885 c340W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the average expenditure in pounds sterling from public funds per head of the employed population in the United Kingdom, France, West Germany and Sweden on retraining and relocation in the latest year for which this information is available.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that in 1973 the average expenditure from public funds per head of the employed population on training and relocation was as follows:

Training Relocation
£ £
United Kingdom 2.75 0.21
France 8.67 0.20
West Germany 11.57
Sweden 24.61 1.56

The United Kingdom training figure relates predominantly to retraining. Figures for other countries include expenditure on initial training under technical education systems which in the United Kingdom would be carried on educational Votes, and expenditure on grants to employers which in the United Kingdom is incurred by industrial training boards.

A separate figure for relocation is not available for West Germany. For France, the figure for relocation is understated as it excludes grants made to employers to provide for transfer expenses.