§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he plans to introduce a 10-year programme to modernise the training and apprenticeship system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jim LesterAs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment said in his statement to the House on 26 November we are currently discussing with the MSC and amongst those concerned in industry and education how we can make progress in modernising training arrangements, and we hope that proposals for consultation will be brought forward early in the new year. The Government are convinced that industry must take action to improve training opportunities for both adults and young people, and that greater flexibility in industrial training arrangements is essential if industry is to be able to respond effectively to the changing demands of the 1980s, and to the changing needs of individual members of the work force.