§ Mr. Maurice Macmillanasked the Secretary of State for Employment if any of his Department's retraining schemes provide for training in any of the languages of the European Community; and, if they do not at present, if he will consider instituting language courses to aid greater mobility of labour within the European Community.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that support is provided under the training opportunities scheme—TOPS—for suitably qualified people who need refresher training in foreign languages, including those of the European Community, in order to improve their employment prospects in such occupations as export management, overseas sales, advanced secretarial work, interpreting and translating. I understand that the Commission has no present plans for extending the scope of such support.