§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the number of apprentices taken into Chatham Dockyard has fallen in each of the 10 years to 1975–76.
§ Mr. JuddAnnual entries of craft and technician apprentices for the General Manager's Department, Chatham Dockyard, have been:
Year of Entry Craft Technician Total 1965 … … 210 — 210 1966 … … 215 15 230 1967 … … 258 14 272 1968 … … 215 9 224 1969 … … 209 10 219 1970 … … 221 15 236 1971 … … 128 10 138 1972 … … 119 21 140 1973 … … 147 17 164 1974 … … 187 15 202 1975 … … 184 26 210
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the maximum number of apprentices that could now be taken into Chatham Dockyard annually and provided with all the facilities required in the full four-year course.
337W
§ Mr. JuddThe training capacity at Chatham Dockyard is the aggregate of the capacities in each of 13 separate craft trades and the technician training capacity. It is assessed at 205, annually.
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if any increase in the number of apprentices will be offset by a reduction in the number of craftsmen in order to maintain the total work force within the declared maximum.
§ Mr. JuddI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 5th November.—[Vol. 899, c.182–3.]—Since no spare training capacity exists at Chatham there could be no increase at present in the apprentice intake.
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will open Chatham Dockyard Training School to apprentices sponsored by private industry; and, if so, how many will be taken annually, and under what terms and conditions.
§ Mr. JuddThe Government fully recognise the need to provide opportunities for apprentice training and we constantly have in mind, for this purpose, the training capacity of the dockyards. At present, Chatham has a full intake of dockyard apprentices.