HC Deb 07 July 1975 vol 895 cc33-4W
Mr. Litterick

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many retraining places are now available at Government training centres in the city of Birmingham; and how this compares with the numbers available in each of the last five years.

Mr. Harold Walker

There is one skillcentre—formerly Government training centre—in Birmingham itself. The number of training places available in it at the end of May 1975 was 359. Figures for previous years are as follows:

May 1974 … … … … 372
May 1973 … … … … 329
May 1972 … … … … 254
May 1971 … … … … 254
May 1970 … … … … 242

Places currently available are temporarily reduced due to reconstruction work for an expansion of training facilities.

Mr. Litterick

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many shorthand-typists are now registered as unemployed in the city of Birmingham; and how this number compares with those for the corresponding month in 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971 and 1970.

Mr. John Fraser

The following table shows the available information. For employment offices, the numbers unemployed are analysed quarterly according to the occupations for which they are registered for employment. The figures from June 1973 are based on the Key List of Occupations for Statistical Purposes and are not comparable with those for earlier dates which are based on a departmental classification.

UNEMPLOYED IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE ASTON, BIRMINGHAM, HANDSWORTH, SELLY OAK, SMALL HEATH, SUTTON COLDFIELD AND WASHWOOD HEATH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES
Shorthand-typists
June 1970 … … … … 23
June 1971 … … … … 41
June 1972 … … … … 42
Personal secretaries, shorthand-writers and shorthand-typists
June 1973 … … … … 31
June 1974 … … … … 28
June 1975 … … … … 53

The table does not include data from careers offices.

From June 1973, figures are available for personal secretaries, shorthand-writers and shorthand-typists as a whole but not separately for shorthand-typists.

Mr. Litterick

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money is now being spent on training for re-employment of able-bodied men and women in the city of Birmingham in the current year; and how this compares with the amounts spent during each of the previous two years.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Chairman of the Manpower Services Commission that the information is not available.