§ Mr. Cordleasked the Minister for the Civil Service what consideration has been given to the devising of less costly methods of carrying out effective and efficient staff training; and whether consideration will now be given to the use of printed material and correspondence courses instead of residential conferences.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisThe Department continually endeavours to ensure that the most cost-effective methods are used in the training of its staff, including self-instruction in appropriate circumstances.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) how many staff training conferences have been organised by his Department during each of the last five years; when they were held; and how much each cost in terms of (a) travelling expenses, (b) accommodation expenses and allowances (c) salaries paid to participants for their time and (d) salaries and fees paid to lecturers and organisers of courses;
(2) how many staff training conferences have been planned by his Department in the foreseeable future; what is the planned subject for discusion at each of them; when they are to be held; and what is the estimated cost of each in terms of (a) travelling expenses, (b) accommodation expenses, (c) salaries and allowances paid to participants for their time and (d) salaries and fees paid to lecturers and course organisers.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisThe full information requested cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. Much of the Department's training is provided by line management on the job, and there is not always a clear distinction between courses and less formal training. However, the number of courses held by my Department's Personnel Division in the academic year ending 31st July 1976 was 136. Under the four headings which are used for statistical purposes to categorise Civil Service training this total can be analysed as follows: Induction, 63; Vocational, 10; Management, 29; and Background 34. The equivalent figures for the academic year 1974–75 were 45, 19, 23, 20, total 107. Similar details for earlier years are not readily available.
758WIt is expected that the existing pattern of training will continue subject to the availability of resources and the need for economy in expenditure.
The cost-effectiveness of training programmes is kept under continuous review. Travelling expenses, allowances to participants, accommodation expenses and salaries and fees paid to lecturers and course organisers are all within the limits laid down in the appropriate Civil Service regulations.
In addition a number of courses are run by the Civil Service College, and details of these are available in the Principal's Annual Report, a copy of which will be made available in the House of Commons Library.