§ Mr. Dunlopasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, and, if so, by what amount, the provision of grants and loans to industrial training boards under the Industrial Training Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 has been exceeded; and what steps are proposed to provide further financial support for the boards.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesSection 5(3) of the Industrial Training Act (NI) 1964, as amended by the Grants and Loans to Industrial Training Boards Order (Northern Ireland) 1969, SRO 1969 No. 361, imposed a limit of £5 million on the amount that might be paid to industrial training boards by way of grants and loans. Up to the end of the 1975–6 financial year the amount paid by the Department of Manpower Services exceeded that amount by £98,027. No payments were made in excess of the sum appropriated by Parliament. An Order has now been made under Section 5 of the Act increasing the limit from £5 million to £10 million.