§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Wales (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 for the foreseeable future; what is the subject planned for discussion at each of them; where 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 768W allowances paid to the participants for their time and (d) salaries and fees paid to lecturers and course organisers.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe full information requested cannot be made available without disproportionate effort and expense. Courses are arranged on a wide variety of subjects, and the numbers provided by my Department in each of the last five years were as follows:
1972 … … … … 78 1973 … … … … 102 1974 … … … … 48 1975 … … … … 47 1976 … … … … 43 Travelling expenses, allowances for participants, accommodation, salaries and fees paid to lecturers and course organisers are all within the limits laid down in the appropriate Civil Service regulations.
It is expected that the existing pattern of training will continue, subject to the availability of resources and the need for economy in Government expenditure.
Civil Service training is categorised under the following four headings: Induction, Vocational, Management and Background; and the proportion of training falling within these categories in my Department is currently 30 per cent., 16 per cent., 35 per cent., 19 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration has been given to devising less costly methods of effectively and efficiently training staff; and whether consideration will now be given to the use of printed material and correspondence courses instead of residential conferences.
§ Mr. John 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.