§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request all local authorities with direct labour departments to publish audited accounts for such departments.
§ Mr. FreesonThe audited accounts of local authorities are already open to public inspection. I propose to include in forthcoming legislation on direct labour organisations a requirement that separate accounts for their activities shall be kept as part of the audited accounts of the local authority concerned.
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution direct labour organisations will make to the costs of training personnel; and if they will be subscribing to the appropriate training boards, as is required of industry.
§ Mr. FreesonIn general, grants are not available to local authorities for the training of craft apprentices and these costs are met directly by individual local authorities. The operating costs of the Local Government Training Board are met by a deduction, agreed with the local authority associations, from the needs element of the rate support grant.