HC Deb 28 October 1975 vol 898 cc454-7W
19. Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many places in Government training centres were unfilled at 30th September 1975; and what crafts or skills were covered by these unoccupied places.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the latest date for which figures are available is 29th August 1975. The information is as follows:

Training Trade Unfilled Places
Bricklaying 237
Carpentry and joinery 145
Heating and ventilating fitting 52
House painting 12
Pipe fitting (petrochemical industry) 4
Plastering 18
Plumbing 55
Slating and tiling 4
Street masonry and paving 11
Woodcutting and machining 36
Welding pipe (heating and ventilating and fitting and plumbing) 1
General construction 7
Automatic lathe setting 27
Boring setting—machining 27
Capstan setting—operating 231
Centre lathe turning 123
Engineering—blind persons 13
Milling setting—operating 219
Precision grinding 142
Sheet metal work (mechanised) 93
Sheet and metal fabrication—welding 79
Tool making fitting and machining 53
Welding electric are (plate) 194
Die milling 8
Draughtsmen 32
Engineering inspection 27
Fitting general 69
Fitting jig and tool 13
Fitting machine tool maintenance 10
Fitting pneumatic and hydraulic 59
Instrument fitting and machining 80
Industrial electronics 0
Fitting electrical 29
Machine electronic maintenance 4
Agricultural machinery repair and maintenance 43
Contractors plant repair and maintenance 58
Heavy vehicle repair and maintenance 73
Motor vehicle body building 8
Motor vehicle body repair 73
Motor vehicle body repair and maintenance 196
Motor vehicle body spray painting 40
Air conditioning and refrigeration 3
Typewriter repair and maintenance 22
Watch and clock repair 10
Boat fitting 3
Commercial cookery 12
Hairdressing (men's) 73
Scientific glass-blowing 1
Screen process printing 1
Sewing machining 8
Tailoring 10
Miscellaneous engineering 64
Wider opportunities course 59
Vocational assessment course 8
Building operatives 8
Total 2,887

Note: Classes in industrial electronics are one over strength and radio TV and electronics classes two over strength.

51. Sir John Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of places in Government training centres has not been taken upon the last six months; and what steps he proposes to take to fill these vacancies, particularly with regard to school leavers.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the percentage of places not taken up in skillcentres in the last six months is as follows:

Percentage of unoccupied places at Skillcentres (formerly Government Training Centres)
Date
29th August 1975 20.0 per cent.
30th July 1975 19.4 per cent.
30th June 1975 18.9 per cent.
30th May 1975 22.8 per cent.
30th April 1975 20.2 per cent.
27th March 1975 23.5 per cent.

For a number of practical reasons 100 per cent. occupancy is not achievable, but some comprehensive studies are being made to try to reduce under-occupancy to the lowest acceptable minimum.

Special measures have been devised to enable school leavers and other unemployed young people to benefit from the first part or parts of normal skillcentre courses and these are being implemented wherever demand and capacity permit.

Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of places at industrial retraining establishments, both in Yorkshire and Humberside and nationally, at the latest available date and 10 years ago.

Mr. John Fraser

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that at the end of August 1975 there were 1,210 places available at skillcentres, formerly Government training centres, in Yorkshire and Humberside. Nationally the figure was 14,441. Ten years ago the figures were 415 and 5,435 respectively.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are being trained annually in Government centres; and how many of these remain unemployed or not employed in the skill for which they have trained 12 months after passing their course.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of people trained in skill-centres, formerly Government training centres, was over 17,000 in 1974. In 1975 the number is expected to be 19,000. The number remaining unemployed or not employed in their training trade cannot be stated as there is no obligation on ex-trainees to use the Employment Service either for initial placing or later job changes. However, it is known that in June 1975 approximately 800 ex-skillcentre trainees had remained unplaced in their training trade for over six months; most of these completed training in 1974.

Mr. Woof

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much financial assistance the United Kingdom Government have received towards the cost of Government-supported training and resettlement schemes, and of the resettlement services for the disabled.

Mr. John Fraser

I assume that the Question refers to financial assistance from the European Social Fund. £60.8 million, including £8 million for disabled people, has been allocated to the United Kingdom from the fund, against which payments of £22.7 million have so far been received, including £3.4 million for disabled people.