HC Deb 26 November 1979 vol 974 cc439-40W
Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the expected increase in unemployment, he will now consider developing an education and training service for the long-term unemployed.

Mr. Jim Lester

The provision of training for employment is the responsibility of the Manpower Services Commission. I am informed by the Commission that it has at this time no proposal for changing the arrangements it presently supports to provide training for those unemployed people, including the long-term unemployed, who would benefit from it. However, the Commission will continue to keep its training programmes under review in the light of the resources available to it, and the needs of the labour market.