§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider extending payment of training allowance to bona fide trainees outside the training opportunities scheme.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that since the introduction of TOPS in 1972 it has operated within a framework of rules designed to enable it to concentrate on providing training in needed skills for adults who are unemployed or changing their jobs; and to avoid supplanting established arrangements for the initial training of young people and further training of existing employees. In its recent review of the scheme, MSC proposed that these rules should continue subject to certain modifications. These would include provision for selective relaxation of the normal TOPS ban on training for a specific employer, chiefly to enable payment on a selective and discretionary basis of training allowances for a period of on-the-job training or further experience for employees recruited from TOPS courses. Plans are in hand to implement this recommendation; the rate of progress is subject to the current review of MSC expenditure.