§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what special efforts are being made to train boys and girls in the 16 to 18 years age groups in computer skills.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1980, c. 92]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that its computer occupations training programme provides training opportunities for young people by means of grants and training awards.
An increased number of grants will be available in 1980–81 (1,600 as compared with 900 in 1979–80) for employers who are prepared to train staff on certain courses sponsored by the MSC under a programme of grant support begun in September 1979. Age limits are not applied to the grant support scheme but the majority of grants are likely to be taken up in respect of young people.
Under the threshold scheme, funded by the MSC and administered on its behalf by the National Computing Centre to provide training for unemployed school leavers an increased number of places has been made available in 1979–80 (1,200 compared with 552 in 1978–79). 1,200 places will be available for 1980–81.
I also refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science on 4 March 1980 to a question from the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell).