§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he plans to take to improve the quality of management in the private and public sectors of British industry.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe Government's broad economic policies are intended to create a framework within which management can and is encouraged to improve its performance.
Beyond that, one of the ways to improve the quality of management in the private and public sectors of British industry is through training. This is primarily a matter for the Manpower Services Commission and I am informed that, in conjunction with the industry training boards and training bodies in the non-board sector, improvements in the quality of training have been made through training recommendations, advisory services, group training schemes, research into and development of new training methods and techniques, and so on.
Ultimately, however, responsibility for training rests with industry itself, which must accept and recognise its value as an integral part of the business; the Government's main contribution should be to focus attention on what needs to be done at national level, to provide a framework for action and to give support where necessary.