HC Deb 23 February 1977 vol 926 cc625-6W
Mr. Noble

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans there are for language training and other resources to be made available to industry where local education authorities are making inadequate provision in the race relations field.

Mr. John Grant

Under present arrangements industrial language training units set up and operated by LEAs are grant aided at the rate of 75 per cent. by the Home Office. The LEAs make up the other 25 per cent. from their own funds.

The Training Services Agency has established the National Centre for Industrial Language Training to provide the resources for the development and continued operation of the local units.

NUMBERS UNEMPLOYED IN THE EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AREAS
Motherwell Kilmarnock Dundee Edinburgh Ayr
January 1964 1,049 1,121 2,844 3,966 1,639
January 1965 649 831 2,150 2,996 1,410
January 1966 516 735 2,093 2,755 1,157
January 1967 881 1,145 2,640 3,109 1,603
January 1968 1,003 1,208 2,663 3,465 1,706
January 1969 896 792 2,330 3,670 1,713
January 1970 898 892 3,378 4,358 1,424
January 1971 1,100 1,260 5,289 5,359 1,493
January 1972 1,694 1,982 7,631 6,420 1,953
January 1973 1,349 1,651 5,729 5,479 1,566
January 1974 941 1,203 4,153 5,040 1,450
January 1976 1,724 2,284 7,136 7,306 2,973
January 1977 2,057 2,885 8,290 9,306 3,867

The TSA has also encouraged the industrial training boards to provide training in this area.

I am aware of the difficulties in which some local authorities find themselves because of financial constraints in supporting language training in the race relations field and I am keeping the situation under review.