§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will seek to improve the liaison between industry and the Northern Ireland Industrial Training Executive in order to avoid the waste of public funds of the kind which occurred when the firm of Tillie and Henderson completed a new training wing within days of the firm going into liquidation.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI presume that the hon. Member is referring to the Department of Commerce's provision of a temporary wooden building to connect the premises occupied by Tillie and Henderson's Training School with its cutting room. The firm applied for this extension in May 1974. Work was completed, except for installation of heating, in 35W March 1975, and the building was occupied by the company in May 1975. The company did not go into liquidation until March 1976. Neither the Northern Ireland Training Executive nor the Clothing and Footwear Industry Training Board, of which Tillie and Henderson was a constituent member, made any contribution to the cost of a new training wing for this firm.
I am satisfied that there is adequate liaison between industry in Northern Ireland and the various Government and public bodies which provide industrial support and assistance. There was certainly no lack of liaison in this case.