§ 43. Mr. Spriggsasked the Secretary of State for Employment why the Manpower Services Commission has cut back its funding for training award places at the St. Helens college of technology; and how the cutback of funding 448W is expected to affect the number of places for the year 1979–80 at the above college.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the majority of award scheme trainees at St. Helens College of Technology are sponsored by the Engineering Industry Training Board, which decides from year to year how many awards are necessary in the light of employers' recruitment decisions. The board is satisfied, in the light of the estimated future need for engineering craftsmen and technicians and the numbers of apprentices likely to be recruited by employers in the area, that it is unlikely to need any award scheme places at St. Helens College of Technology in 1979–80. The recent reduction in funds for 1979–80 made available by the MSC to the EITB has no bearing on the situation.