§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many applicants from Girvan are on waiting lists for entry to courses at Irvine skillcentre.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that five applicants from Girvan are on waiting lists for entry to courses at Irvine skill-centre.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what courses are available in the Irvine skillcentre; how many of these courses have vacancies or waiting lists; what is the waiting time for entry to each course; and how many applicants from the Cumnock area are waiting entry to courses.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is as follows:
Courses available at Irvine Skillcentre Number of vacant places at 9th December Estimated waiting time for entry Bricklaying — 7–8 months Carpentry and joinery — 11–12 months Capstan setting-operating 5 — Centre lathe turning — 7–8 months Milling setting-operating 5 — Precision grinding 1 — Detail fitting and machining — 2 months Instrument maintenance — 18 months Radio, television and electronics servicing — 12–13 months Agricultural machinery repair and maintenance — 12–13 months Storekeeping — 15–16 months Eight applicants from the Cumnock area are on waiting lists for entry to courses.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Employment how cuts in public expenditure have affected the expansion of courses and places in skillcentres; and what plans are being made to create new skillcentres or expand present ones in the years 1977 and 1978.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the cuts in public expenditure have had no effect on the expansion of courses and 695W places in skillcentres; the skillcentre expansion programme is proceeding as planned. 60 skillcentres and 29 annexes are currently in operation and a further 12 centres and six annexes are included in the programme, which is due to be completed by 1979. Seven centres and four annexes are due to open by the end of 1977, and one centre and one annexe during 1978. In addition, provision has been made for 200 extra places to be made available in existing skillcentres during the 1977–78 financial year.
§ Mr. Cowansasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many unemployed men and disabled men, respectively, in the Newcastle, Central travel-to-work area have been retrained in Government training centres and reemployed in the last two years;
(2) how many persons from the employment exchange at Newcastle, Central parliamentary constituency have received training at Government training centres since January 1973.
§ Mr. GoldingI am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is not available, and could only be produced at disproportionate cost. I am sorry, therefore, that it is not possible to give this information.
§ Mr. Cowansasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current waiting list for entry into Government training centres in the Newcastle, Central area; and how many have been unable to be accepted for training or retraining.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that on 29th October the waiting list for entry into skillcentres—formerly Government training centres—in the Newcastle upon Tyne, Central area was as follows:
Killingworth skillcentre 359 Felling-on-Tyne skillcentre (including annexe) 462 Information about the number of people who have not been accepted for training courses is not readily available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.