HC Deb 07 March 1975 vol 887 c530W
Mr. Moorman

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unemployed persons will be trained for employment by the Northern Ireland Electricity Board; and what was the nature and amount of grant given for this purpose from the European Economic Community in the third and fourth allocation from the 1974 Social Fund Budget.

Mr. Moyle

About 230 unemployed and underemployed people, including a number of agricultural workers, are being trained for employment by the Northern Ireland Electricity Service (NIES). In December 1974 the Commission of the European Communities approved an application on behalf of the NIES. Subject to the claim being validated, £45,000 has been allocated from the European Social Fund towards the training expenditure of the NIES for the period 1st November 1974 to 31st October 1975. Of this sum £9,000 relates to 1974.

Mr. Moonman

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the nature and number of grants to private sector firms from the European Economic Community in the third and fourth allocation from the 1974 Social Fund Budget; and what was the number of persons affected.

Mr. Moyle

Applications on behalf of seven firms in the private sector towards the cost of training unemployed and underemployed people, including a number of agricultural and textile workers, were approved on 30th December 1974 by the Commission of the European Communities. Subject to the claims being validated an allocation of £683,000 has been made from the European Social Fund for the period 1974–1976, of which £241,000 is for 1974. It is estimated that about 1,870 persons will take part in the training over the three-year period.